Nevada Worker’s Compensation Disaster

Most Nevada workers believe that if they are injured on the job, which can happen to virtually anyone, they will be covered by the state’s workers compensation program.  Unfortunately, thousands of Nevadans have discovered the hard way that the Nevada workers compensation system does not always work the way it should.  Many critics argue that the Nevada workers compensation system is the worst in the country. 

What happened?
In the 1980s and 90s, Nevada’s Division of Industrial Relations was practically in shambles.  The existing system of workers compensation was bad for injured workers, costly for employers, and taxing on the state.  The workers compensation program was so horrible that one angry injured worker drove his car through the agency’s front door, for which he later went to jail. 

To deal with this turmoil, the government decided to privatize Nevada’s workers compensation system five years ago.  Nevada’s new system has been called one of the worst workers compensation programs in the nation.  Today, hundreds of insurers and third party administrators compete for worker’s compensation business in Nevada.  While these organizations are enjoying million-dollar profit margins, injured workers and their attorneys are not reaping any benefit. 

One Nevada workers compensation attorney say the system is supposed to be a no-fault and non-adversarial program intended to serve the interests of workers, employers, and even the state.  Now that private companies are in charge of compensating workers for their on-the-job injuries, even the smallest claims are often contested.  This means that compensation and even medical care are denied to workers in need of care. 

Critics say the initial reactions of these private companies is to deny—or at least delay—compensating workers for job-related injury losses. 

One worker’s story
Kelly Oakley has been a mechanic all his life.  While working at the McCarran airport he injured his back, but thought that he would be taken care of by workers compensation.  When he required a second and third back surgery, his employer told him he had been medically terminated.  Now Kelly is left without a job, without workers compensation coverage, and growing medical bills for his devastating work related injury. 

“It’s humiliating.  It’s very frustrating.  I just broke down today at work,” said Kelly’s wife Donna. 

Attorneys step in
According to experts, the only hope for many people like Kelly is to hire a qualified Nevada workers compensation attorney.  In fact, many attorney’s note that, since the inception of the privatized system, their business protecting injured Nevada workers has grown ten-fold.  “We used to resolve cases with a telephone call,” comments one Nevada workers compensation lawyer, “Those same issues are now in the Nevada Supreme Court.”

Yet Another Outrageous Problem…
Not only did the Nevada government choose to privatize the worker’s compensation system, they also exempted private insurers from being sued for bad faith.  This means that even if the workers compensation insurance company breaks the law by acting in bad faith, they cannot be brought to justice properly. 

Workers are also not allowed to see doctors that are not approved by the private insurance companies. 

Nevada’s privatized workers compensation system is all about insurance companies making money.  Tragically, this is occurring at the expense of Nevada workers. 

Have you suffered a work-related injury?
If you or a loved one has had trouble receiving fair compensation for a work related injury, please contact us to speak with a qualified and experienced Nevada workers compensation attorney who can determine the best way to protect and maximize your legal rights.