CorVel Leverages Integrated Platform to Provide Liability Management as COVID-19 Claims Rise

CorVel is Monitoring Rapidly Emerging Legislation to Keep Employers Informed

IRVINE, Calif., July 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CorVel Corporation, a national provider of risk management solutions, is leveraging its experience and technology to provide clients with liability management services and  monitor emerging legislation as claims related to COVID-19 increase.

As the global pandemic continues to impact the country, liability claims are proliferating. Employers are facing claims such as alleged negligence to provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) or social distancing, and failure to have contingency plans in place to protect employees. CorVel’s national liability division is providing insight and guidance to clients regarding COVID-19 claim reporting and best-practice handling, along with 24/7 catastrophic assistance for third-party claimants.

Legislation and state orders focusing on compensability and policy coverage are rapidly emerging to address the situation. Several jurisdictions have expanded the presumption of compensability under workers' compensation for a wide array of public and private employees, including first responders, health care workers, and frontline workers. At least a dozen states are adopting revised legislation regarding business continuity and business interruption coverage. CorVel is closely monitoring the situation and capturing these emerging jurisdictional changes on its legislative updates page.

“As an experienced liability third-party administrator, CorVel provides clients with in-depth knowledge to streamline the claim process, mitigate costs, and improve outcomes,” said Michael Combs, CorVel President and CEO. “We are actively monitoring legislative updates, claim trends, and clinical information to provide proactive solutions and better manage workers' compensation and liability claims for our clients.”

When a COVID-19 claim arises, liability claims specialists work closely with employers to provide defense counsel with the required information and documentation. CorVel leverages its integrated system to:

• Create investigative checklists specific to the COVID-19 claim
• Collect statements based on questions directly related to infection and the spread of the virus
• Identify actions the employer took to reduce the spread of infection, such as implementing employee hygiene practices, increasing workplace cleanliness and sanitation, supplying PPE, and installing appropriate signage
• Gather documentation from the claimant, including medical records, timelines, proof of location, and receipts
• Provide experts, where needed, to mitigate responsibility for the negligence allegations

“This new landscape is quite different from the slip-and-fall or product claim that we usually see—COVID-19 is a whole new ballgame,” said Ed Burtnette, VP Liability Services at CorVel. “Our robust system gives liability claims specialists the tools they need to truly understand the client and become an extension of their business. By understanding the nuances of each industry’s situation, we can anticipate and address the needs of each customer and each claim. CorVel’s goal is to ease the process for everyone involved and to help resolve claims promptly, completely, and in good faith while protecting our clients’ businesses and brands from costly mistakes.”