Is Recreational Weed Use Having WC Impact?

A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute examines the impact of recreational marijuana law on workers’ compensation benefits.
The analysis covers 31 states, using data from workers’ compensation claims filed between October 2012 and March 2022.
Cannabis is legal in 39 of 50 states for medical use and 24 states and the District of Columbia for recreational use, according to MJBiz Daily.
The report is available for free to WCRI members.
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While mental health claims make up less than 2% of workers’ compensation cases, they can triple a claim’s duration, according to new research from Sedgwick.
However, early intervention with behavioral health specialists can cut that claim duration by as much as 70%, according to the paper, “Unveiling the Hidden Struggles: Mental Health and Workers’ Compensation.”
Despite their relatively low incidence, mental health factors can have a significant effect on claims, and when those issues occur alongside physical injuries, challenges arise.
Sedgwick’s report identifies two types of claims in the mental health space:
“Mental-mental”: mental health claims that don’t involve a physical injury; and, “Physical-mental”: mental health claims that arise out of a physical injury that’s covered by worker’s compensation.
The findings are discussed in a podcast available on Apple Podcasts or wherever readers get their podcasts.
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