Since workers can’t file for compensation until after their employment ends, it makes sense that legitimate claims went up after the factory closed. This certainly weakens.

Employees were afraid to file injury claims, since the ones who did lost their jobs. This explains the sharp increase in claims once the factory shut down, and weakens the argument that the claims were illegitimate.

If most workers file for compensation right away, then why did all these employees wait until after the factory closed? If anything, this strengthens the author’s argument by eliminating alternative explanations.

Workers chose not to file injury claims since they would have had to stop working, which they couldn't afford. Once the factory was closed, they were free to file those claims since they no longer had jobs to protect.

So there's a reason why workers probably sustained more workplace injuries shortly before the factory closed. This explains why they filed more claims after the factory closed, without any illegitimacy involved.