This is the fifth in a five-part series of blog posts recapping our webinar, Preventing strains and sprains.

The final section of SFM’s presentation focused on the legal aspects of strain and sprain injuries.

John Hollick, Chief Defense Counsel at SFM’s in-house law firm, outlined the legal issues that can arise from these injuries and their impact on workers’ compensation benefits.

“The legal standard, generally, is that for an injury to be compensable, it’s not necessary that the employment be the only cause of the condition for which benefits are sought,” Hollick said. “It is sufficient that the employment is a substantial contributing factor. In many cases, it is up to the medical provider to determine what constitutes a substantial contributing factor. Or, in other words, whether the work activities more likely than not caused the injury.”

Hollick, who has decades of experience in the field, also talked about the risks and costs associated with litigated claims. He finished his portion of the presentation by examining the pros and cons of conducting surveillance, outlining the litigation process and discussing what policyholders can do to reduce the risk of litigation.

Check out the complete recording of the webinar and view other posts in our blog series highlighting the presentation.

• Part I: Understanding strain and sprain injuries
• Part II: Strain and sprain injury effects on work comp claims
• Part III: Identifying ergonomic risk factors in the workplace
• Part IV: Implementing solutions for workplace strain and sprain risks