Advertise
Resources
Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.More than 70 labor organizations filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to strike down workers compensation reform legislation Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt signed into law in March.
Among several allegations, the lawsuit states that Senate Bill 1 so severely limited the types of injuries that are compensable under Missouri's workers compensation statute that the law "no longer serves as an adequate substitute for injured workers' tort remedies."
The 54-page lawsuit filed in Cole County Circuit Court also claims that S.B. 1 violates rights provided under the U.S. and Missouri constitutions.
The Jefferson City-based Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry responded with a statement saying S.B. 1 brought much-needed reform. The chamber also said it has little regard for the lawsuit.
"The lawsuit is ridiculous, based only on the fact that these union groups didn't like the bill," said Daniel P. Mehan, the chamber's president and chief executive officer. "Legal actions shouldn't be based on sour grapes."
S.B.1's measures included modifying the definition of an accident to primarily focus on events where work is the prevailing factor. It also exempted coverage for injuries with unknown causes, and exempted personal health conditions that manifest themselves at work.