By Donna Motley, Vice President of Claims

HAPPY NEW YEAR – 2016! A new year – new beginnings – new opportunities to change. How did your 2015 end? The Claims Department ended with a BANG! As if there aren’t enough challenges in our lives and in the work place. We contend with family, friends, health issues, school, our homes and work on a daily basis, and then, the HOLIDAYS arrive and add a lot more stress! Even though we may look forward to the holidays and consider it a “happy” time, it can be stressful, none the less. There is shopping to contend with, trying to get just the perfect present for everyone, entertaining, socializing, all adding up to an extra financial stress. People are using up vacation time and trying to get work caught up before being off for a day or more.

Is it any wonder our department sees a spike in claims at the end of the year? With everything going on, people are more pre-occupied and distracted. It is even more dangerous driving a vehicle because we are distracted by the bright lights and holiday displays along the way. Or maybe someone just left a holiday party where alcohol was served. All this on top of drivers using their cell phones while driving.

Some of the new injuries that occurred in December 2015 were of a more serious nature. Broken bones, falls from ladders, head injuries, amputated fingers. Injuries requiring immediate surgery – at a time when a lot of the doctors take 2 and 3 weeks off to be with their families or go on vacation. That leaves us and our Nurse Case Managers scrambling trying to find a specialty doctor that is available and not overbooked to see the injured worker STAT. Not to mention if surgery has to be squeezed in. Some things are not within our control. During this holiday crunch, thank you for your understanding.

For the New Year, let’s practice safety – reduced losses means lower experience modifications, lower premiums and higher dividends. That is a terrific New Year goal for every MTMIC member.