Light duty benefits a worker and saves Retro pool significant expense
Quick work by claims analyst Brigitte Le Vie saved a worker’s job and the Retro fund significant losses from an extended time loss claim.
After being injured on the job, the employer terminated the injured worker just as Retail Services was trying to find him a light-duty job. His injuries caused permanent restrictions making it impossible to return to his original job.
Le Vie moved quickly, elevating the claim to Maria McClain, Director of Retro Member Services, who provided a cost analysis that convinced the employer to offer the injured man permanent work at a light-duty job. This accomplishment prevented the claim from being extended by as much as another two years. With Labor & Industries verifying the light-duty task as a permanent job offer, McClain and Le Vie were able to successfully reduce heavy projected costs and will close the claim much sooner. This reduction benefits both the employer and Retro funds. Le Vie said the solution saved the fund up to an estimated $266,872 in losses from a prolonged injury claim.
Retail Services’ team of claims analysts is skilled at negotiating solutions such as this to the benefit of employers and workers alike. The team’s work on this claim demonstrates the value of Washington Retail’s Retro program for qualified members. To learn about managing workers’ compensation cases through the Retro program, contact Terry Hopsecger, Director of Business Development, at 360-200-6453 or thospsecger@waretailservices.com