A single workplace accident can be the difference between dignity and poverty for Maine families. Workers who are injured through no fault of their own deserve to be treated fairly. This is why we have workers’ compensation laws, which make sure injured workers are protected when they can no longer work.

But in 1992, Gov. John McKernan and insurance lobbyists shut down the state and demanded changes to Maine’s workers’ compensation laws.

One of those lobbyists was Peter Gore, who recently penned an opinion piece (“Maine Voices: Not only did law fix workers’ comp flaw, it added benefits for the injured,” April 11) explaining why the 1992 workers’ comp laws needed to be “fixed” in 2012.

Contrary to Mr. Gore’s claims, the 2012 “fix” was not beneficial for injured workers, but it did help insurance companies maximize their profits.

Prior to the 2012 changes, 25 percent of the most injured workers could receive partial compensation for as long as they remained incapacitated from their injuries. The remainder were cut off after 10 years.

The 2012 “fix” removed that safety net for the most seriously injured workers.

It would be easier for these workers to jump from Mount Katahdin and land in Moosehead Lake than to qualify for benefits under what Mr. Gore claims is an “improvement” of the law. In fact, virtually no injured worker can meet this standard.

Do not be hoodwinked by Mr. Gore’s misleading claims.

Maine workers injured on the job don’t deserve to be crushed by the insurance industry’s bottom line.

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