Issues such as emotional distress and fear were highlighted as the top barrier to closing workers compensation claims, according to a study released Thursday. Claims leaders rank psychosocial issues as the No. 1 barrier to successful claim outcomes, above lack of accommodation for return to work, litigation, strained employee/employer relationship, and late reporting of injury, according to Chicago-based managed care solutions provider Rising Medical Solutions’ 2016 Workers’ Compensation Benchmarking Study survey of 492 claims professionals.