Dropping traditional workers’ compensation in favor of a private plan? New data from Stanford University shows that it’s saving companies money. But some have questioned whether the savings come at the expense of injured workers.

The study by Alison Morantz, a professor at Stanford Law School, examined illness and injury claims filed by employees of multistate companies that have used these private plans. These companies saw a 44 percent drop in costs per worker, Morantz found.