There are two recent developments in New Hampshire that might have a profound impact on case values and exposure.
ONE:
New Hampshire Senate Bill 99
– calls for the elimination of the cap of 262 weeks for Temporary Partial Disability (“TPD”) benefits & Diminished Earning Capacity (“DEC”) rate benefits.
- Currently, an employee may only receive 262 weeks of TPD indemnity benefits and that also applies when the employee initially receives TTD.
- The proposal to eliminate the cap of 262 weeks would leave TPD open-ended, which could result in an employee remaining on TPD benefits for the rest of his/her life if the insurer cannot show a change in condition to warrant termination of those benefits.
- This bill is in committee and hearings are being scheduled.
- Click here to read this bill.
TWO:
Sarah Fuller has been named supervisor of the Hearing Officers for the Department of Labor. She is responsible for the assignment of the hearing officers for initial hearings scheduled before the New Hampshire Department of Labor.
- In addition, the two hearing officers from the Wages and Hours Division of the New Hampshire Department of Labor will be cross trained to handle Workers’ Compensation hearings. We do not know how these new hearing offices will approach Workers’ Compensation claims and their rulings.
REMEMBER THE SECOND INJURY FUND!
The NH Second Injury Fund allows employers to request 50% reimbursement
(up to $5,000 annually) for job modifications that they make to accommodate an employee’s existing impairment or condition.
We’d like to wish
PAUL KELLY
a Very Happy 90th Birthday!
Paul Kelly with his wife Grace and son Mark Kelly
His awesome cake!
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