Missouri lawmakers pass bill that would prevent injured workers from suing colleagues

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.—Missouri legislators have passed a workers compensation bill that aims to prevent injured workers from suing their co-workers over workplace accidents.

On Tuesday, the Missouri Senate unanimously approved H.B. 1540 and the state House voted 122-29 in favor of the legislation. The bill has been sent to Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon for signing.

H.B. 1540 says employees cannot be held liable for injuries or deaths that are compensable under Missouri's workers comp law. The bill does not ban lawsuits in cases of negligence that "purposefully and dangerously caused or increased the risk of injury."

Gov. Nixon vetoed a similar bill, S.B. 572, in March that would have prevented workers comp claimants from suing their colleagues. That measure also included a clause that would have required most occupational diseases to be covered solely by workers comp.

In a letter to the Missouri General Assembly, Gov. Nixon said he vetoed that bill because it would have prevented workers from seeking compensation for diseases that “involve long-term workplace exposure to toxic substances.”