Waltham, MA, October 22, 2026 — Workers with attorney representation reported lower physical health and recovery three years after a workplace injury. At the same time, average medical payments were unaffected by attorney representation, according to a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).

“Differences in recovery may reflect two sources: variation in workers’ injuries or aspects of attorney involvement, such as longer resolutions, that may inadvertently affect health recovery,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “The study provided stronger evidence for the second explanation.”

The study builds on WCRI’s earlier research, which found that attorney representation increased indemnity benefits paid to injured workers. The current study extends that research by examining physical health and recovery, as well as medical payments.

Researchers analyzed survey responses from injured workers in 15 states, measuring physical health and functioning approximately three years after injury. They linked the responses to administrative claims data to examine medical payments per claim.

The report, Attorney Representation, Health Recovery, and Medical Payments, authored by Drs. David Neumark and Bogdan Savych, is free to WCRI members and available to nonmembers for a fee. Click here for more information.

About WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, Massachusetts. WCRI provides objective, high-quality research to help policymakers and other stakeholders make informed decisions about state workers’ compensation systems. Its diverse membership includes employers, insurers, government agencies, managed care companies, health care providers, insurance regulators, labor organizations, and state administrative agencies.