The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1914-02-13
WORKMENS ACT
GETTING RESULTS
Wisconsin Pleased With Its
New Compensation Law.
LABORERS ARE BENEFITED.
Persons Hurt Get More Money From
Corporations Than Formerly-Com-
panies' Expenses Decreased by EIlmi-
mating Middleman - Six Thousand
Cases In One Year.

mating Middleman- - Six Thousand
Cases In One Year.
Madison, Wis.-The workmen's COM
~pensation act Is beginning to show the
beneficial results of the amendment of
1913 in reversing the manner of aid
Ing employees affected by ii. Dur
Ing one month there were 901 indus
trial accidents In Wisconsin. not In
Guiding railroad accidents. or this
number 791, or SO per cent, were under
compensation. According to reports
made to the industrial commission, the
number of accidents is increasing, but
this only apparently is true. The fact
Is that more accidents are reported
thar formerly. In the case of shop ac-
cidents, which heretofore have been
quite accurately reported, a decrease Is
shown.
Because Of the federal liability act
applying to accidents in interstate com.
merce the larger railroads have not
come under the act.
During one month 553 accident cases
We're settled under the compensation
law. This was at the rate of 6,636
cases a year. The cost per case on the
average. excluding medical and hos
pital charges, was $G2.S9. Applying
the same cost per case to the 6.G3e
cases, it amounts to SALT, 374 ms the
total cost a year for indemnity. TO
this must be added the estimated cost
of medical and hospital charges, max.
Ing $626,061 as the probable cost %
compensation for SO per cent of the
Industrial accidents In Wisconsin for
1913. Indemnity Is paid only I'm cases
where disability extends beyond the
seventh day, while medical attendance
applies to all accidents where such
services are needed.
The cos here given accounts only
for money actually paid to or on be.
half of the injured workmen and
does not include overhead cost of In.
surance. The amount paid to injured
workmen is easily more than three
times as much as they received in
any one year under the old law. But
this does not by any mean show that
1t cost the employers three times as
much as under the old system. Under
that system the injured workmen did
not receive more than % per cent oil
the amount paid by employers. while
under the compensation act at least 70
per cent Of the amount paid by the
employers goes directly to the men
who are hurt.
In another way the results OF the
operation OF the compensation law dur
Ing the last year were gratifying. Old
line insurance rates were reduced
twice during the year. In February
rates were reduced about % per cent
and In October they were reduced
about Is per cent. and at the same time
coverage was increased from 5000
and $4,000 to an unlimited amount
For unlimited coverage under liability
the rates were about 20 per cent higher
than under limited coverage.
In addition to the foregoing, 11S cases
of accidents were settled against the
state and municipalities at a cost OF
$39,942.
The cost of administration OF the
compensation act by the commission
for the year 1913 did not exceed $1,000
The saving In costs of litigation to
counties Is safely estimated at over
$10O,OOO