If you sustain injuries at your workplace, you have the right to be compensated. Nearly all employers are required by law to offer workers compensation coverage for their employees, except in Texas. Many victims of workplace injuries find it hard to jump start the recovery process. Read on to understand your rights and the steps you can take in seeking help for the compensation of your injuries.
Your Rights Under Workers’ Compensation
Apart from the right to see a doctor, you have the right to seek justice at a workers’ compensation court. The laws on workers compensation require employers to acquire workers’ compensation insurance and in exchange, employees cannot sue them for workplace injuries. You do not have to prove your injuries were caused by the negligence of your employer. In fact, you can get compensation even though the accident is caused by your negligence.
Report the Accident
In many states, you have a short duration of time to report a work-related injury to get compensated. If this statute of limitation expiries, you have no right to claim damages for your injuries. In this case, the moment you are involved in an accident, you need to report it to your employer regardless of whether you are injured. If you have not sustained injuries, your employer will implement safety procedures to prevent such an accident from occurring in future. If you are injured, your employer will make a claim to the insurance company. You should ask your employer for a copy of the workers’ compensation claim that they have filed.
Seek Legal Counsel
In case your employer does not file a claim with the insurance company or if your compensation is not satisfactory, you have the right to appeal and in this case you need legal counsel. Lawyers like Charlie Tucker P.A. will start by reviewing your claim and all the evidence at your disposal. After a free case evaluation, a personal injury attorney, in most cases, will agree to a no win, no fee contract. This means, that they will not charge you for representation until you are compensated. Legal counsel will help you secure satisfactory damages for lost wages (present and future), medical costs, and pain and suffering. If you are seriously injured, you may get compensated for temporary or permanent disability.
Being involved in an accident at work can be traumatic for anyone. The first step in seeking help is to beware of your rights. The next steps are reporting the accident to your employer, and if the matter is not resolved, hiring legal counsel.
About the Author: Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. She went to college at The Ohio State University where she studied communications. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and long walks in the park with her husky Snowball. You can find her on Twitter at @LizzieWeakley and on Facebook at facebook.com/lizzie.weakley.
