HB 321 -- Workers' Compensation

Co-Sponsors:  Wilson (130), Cunningham, Hanaway, Hunter, Avery,
Wood, Dixon, Ruestman, Jetton, Sander, Guest, Bearden, Yates,
Crowell, Rector, St. Onge, Goodman, Johnson (47), Schlottach,
Dusenberg, Marsh, Schaaf, Dethrow

This bill makes changes to the workers' compensation law.  The
bill:

(1)  Restricts the definition of "accident" to a specific,
identifiable, traumatic event that produced objective symptoms of
an injury at that time;

(2)  Requires that an injury or occupational disease be
compensable only if an accident or occupational exposure was the
dominant factor in causing the condition or disability.  Current
law requires only that an injury or exposure be a substantial
factor;

(3)  Restricts benefits for the aggravation of pre-existing
conditions to those cases where a work-related injury causes
increased permanent disability and reduces compensation by the
amount of permanent partial disability that was pre-existing; and

(4)  Allows employers to sue employees to whom they have paid
benefits for worker compensation payments made by the employer.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:11 am