All employers are by law required to give their workers reasonably healthy and safe working environments. Even so, this is not always the case, and you might be injured at your workplace. The common work-related injuries include slips, falls, spinal injuries from heavy lifting, strain injuries, equipment malfunction injuries in factories, and car accident-related injuries.
Anyone who is seriously injured at work should get help from a trusted hurt on the job lawyer rhode island. You have the legal right to file a claim for workers’ compensation when injured at work. Though, your rights for compensation will vary according to your state. In general, workers’ compensation laws allow you to seek medical attention for your injury, get disability compensation if you need time off, file a claim for the injury you sustain and be represented by an employment attorney for your claim.
The following are some instances in work-related injuries where your first call after getting medical attention should be to an employment attorney so that you are assured of fair compensation for your injuries.
Your Workers’ Compensation Will Not Cover Everything You Need
At times, your workers’ compensation is limited in how much it can pay for your hospital bills. When these bills surpass the limit, and you have not yet fully recovered, you are left on your own. Moreover, you sometimes might be permanently disabled and cannot manage to work indefinitely to sustain yourself but, your workers’ compensation does not see the need to continue supporting you with weekly payments or a lump sum settlement. If you cannot get everything you need from your workers’ compensation, an employment attorney can help.
Your Employer Defends Him/Herself against Your Claim or Retaliates
Sometimes, bosses deny their workers’ claims for compensation for injuries sustained at work. This is because they do not want to be considered high-risk clients by insurance companies and pay high premiums. Other bosses will start discriminating against you at work by reducing your pay or working hours to bully you into abandoning a claim. Getting philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyer in these cases ensures you get fairly compensated and suffer no work-related discrimination.
Your Injuries Are Caused By the Actions of a Third Party
Workers’ compensation is meant to avert a civil lawsuit for injuries sustained in the workplace. Even so, you are still allowed to sue and get compensation if someone apart from your employer caused your injury provided it is related to your work. For example, if you are a delivery person, then a driver hits you while you are out making deliveries and severely injures you, then you have the right to claim for workers’ compensation. In this case, you can also get compensated by the motorist that injured you, meaning you get compensation from two parties. Unfortunately, workplace-related injuries involving a third party are not very easy to win without the input of an experienced employment lawyer.
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You Are Currently Receiving or Want to Apply For Social Security Disability Payments
At times, you might already be disabled and are receiving SSDI {Social Security Disability Insurance} benefits at the time of your work-related injury. On the other hand, the injury you sustain at your workplace might qualify you to receive these benefits. Either way, the structuring of your workers’ compensation settlement will affect the amount of SSDI benefits you receive. In most cases, the benefits are reduced. An attorney can help you structure the settlement’s payout in a way that has a minimum effect on your SSDI benefits.
Even when you have a relatively straightforward case that does not fall among the above, consider contacting an employment lawyer to get a free consultation on any complexities that might hamper your compensation. Nonetheless, not everyone who is hurt at work will need an attorney to handle their workers’ compensation. The following are some instances when you do not have to hire an employment lawyer to help you get This workers’ compensation:
- Your injury is minor, like a cut that needs a stitch or two or a twisted arm.
- Your employer does not dispute that you were injured at the workplace.
- You have not taken too many days off work to recuperate after your injury.
- There is no pre-existing illness affecting the same body part injured in your workplace.
In instances when you are sure an employment lawyer is necessary for your workers’ compensation claim, do not let your lack of funds forego the attorney’s hiring, look for an expert that will not overcharge you, look for Bob Bratt. Employment lawyers do not bill their clients in an hourly fashion. They instead will charge a contingency fee. This is a percentage of the compensation you will be paid when you win the claim. Most states have a limit on the percentage a lawyer can claim for his/her fees. All in all, when injured at work, get the lawyer to help you win your fair settlement.
