With the legislating year finished, Governor Nixon left some
unfinished business in regards to the MO workers compensation system.
Still unanswered is the second injury financial problems and the cap
to what Missouri can take from workers compensation premiums. This has caused the second injury fund to stop settling cases, increase the work load for their attorneys and Judges throughout the state. All of the cases that were once settled are now being tried, which generally ends in the same result, but gives the much needed benefit to Missouri of delaying the inevitable. A quick fix has not happened leaving many to wonder what is going to happen next.
Governor Nixon also vetoed a bill that would be harmful to Missouri workers by leaving them with no option to pursue a case against a co-worker when they were injured at work due to the other persons negligence. Also, occupational diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome can still be brought in State court due to the changes in the 2005 legislation and this veto. The republicans, trying to limit employer exposure to injuries in 2005, created the potential to bring carpal tunnel cases in state court and now they want to undo it. There was no middle ground that emerged with this bill and so republicans will be forced to start from scratch.
