Report Says Virginia Should Cover Injuries Caused by Repetition

Virginia is the only state in the country whose workers’ compensation system doesn’t cover injuries sustained through repetitive work activities, like repeatedly lifting boxes over several weeks, a new state report says.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission recommended in a recently released report that Virginia should allow such injuries to be compensated.

Stakeholders argued that potential high costs to employers are why Virginia doesn’t allow such injuries to be claimed through workers’ compensation, the report said. But such injuries are not a “major cost driver” of workers’ compensation premiums in other states, the report added.