Colorado among best states in which to make a living
Despite taking a bit of a tumble in the rankings, Colorado still remains in Forbes’ list of the top ten states in which to make a living. Last year we were number 4 on the list and this year we’re down slightly to number 7.
The rankings were determined by analyzing a number of factors, including a state’s work safety data, including calculations of workplace illness, injuries and fatalities in the state. They also figured in each state’s average wages, tax rate, cost of living and unemployment rate.
Colorado dropped to number 7, despite some good economic news. MoneyRates.com, which did the ranking research, said we rank “well for high wages and low unemployment,” with our unemployment rate over the past year “dropping from 6 percent to 4.2 percent.”
Unfortunately, of the states in the top ten best places to earn a living, we ranked third in workplace injury rate, with 3.7 incidents per 100 workers. Only Washington (4.9 incidents per 100 workers) and Michigan (3.8 incidents per 100 workers) have worse safety records in the upper echelon of the rankings.
That means that Colorado’s workers’ compensation program is more often critical in a worker’s work life. If a Denver worker is seriously injured while on the job, they several things: prompt medical care and the assurance that they will get ongoing medical treatments and procedures as needed, as well as the wage replacement that comes with workers’ comp.
If denied those benefits, a worker and his or her family can quickly be in dire financial straits. At the law firm of Alverson + O’Brien in Denver, we know how crucial it is for you to prevail in an appeal of a denied benefits claim. We put our knowledge of the law and the workers’ compensation system to work for you.
