Workers compensation panel formed

A panel designed to give businessmen a place to appeal individual workers compensation rates has been appointed by Gov. Kenny Guinn.

The Workers Compensation Appeals Panel consisting of seven members was created by the 1999 Legislature. There is already a system which sets up rates for different job and business classifications and a complete appeals process for workers seeking benefits after an injury.

This panel is designed to handle individual businesses that claim their situation is different from other businesses in the same risk class and that they should be granted a different workers-comp insurance rate.

"This is a premium issue," said Cliff King, chief examiner for the state Insurance Division.

He said an example might be a construction firm that stops doing something such as roofing work and therefore lowers its overall chances of an industrial accident.

King said most employer requests for a lower rate are resolved with the individual insurance carrier. After that, the businessman and insurance agent can contact the National Council on Compensation Insurance which sets rates for different risk classes.

If that fails, King said, this new appeals panel will hear the issue.

Panel members are King, National Council on Compensation Insurance Appeals Manager Tim Hughes, Chris Denning of Associated General Contracting, Betsy Dugdale of Liberty Mutual Insurance, Dave Owen of Leavitt Insurance Agency, Bob Selli of Sierra Insurance Group and Carole Vilardo of the Nevada Taxpayers Association.