Members of the Georgia National Guard work to clean and disinfect hallways and common areas at Provident Village assisted living and memory care home Tuesday , May 5 , 2020 , in Smyrna , Ga . Despite having no cases among residents or staff the home welcomed the extra help from the guard . ( AP Photo / John Bazemore )
permanent total injury .
The ratings house deduced potential permanent disability costs by examining data for lung infection claims and occupational disease claims involving the lung . ( Black lung cases were not included in the data ). Researchers assumed that moderate COVID cases will behave like lung infection claims , of which 20 % to 25 % result in permanent partial disability . Severe cases were presumed to behave like other lung claims , of which 40 % to 50 % result in permanent partial disability and up to 10 % result in permanent total disability .
Data reported by state officials in California and Florida suggests that COVID-19 claims have become a sizable fraction of the total number of workers compensation claims filed . According to the California Division of Workers ’ Compensation , COVID-19 was the cause of 44,354 first reports of injury from Jan . 1 to Sept . 30 , or 11 % of the total number .
The Florida Division of Workers ’ Compensation reports that 21,221 COVID-19 indemnity claims have been filed as of Sept . 30 , or 31.8 % of the total number of injury and illness claims in the state .
But the large share of COVID-19 claims is counteracted by a reduction in the number of other types of claims . Eddinger said the pandemic ’ s impact on the economy accounts for much of that decline . Also , he said employees who telecommute are less likely to file work injury claims than workers
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