Injury in the workplace is a relatively common occurrence, easily seen with the 917,100 occupational injuries reported in 2013. Worker’s compensation is an insurance that covers an employee’s wages and medical bills in the event of an injury at work. In exchange, the injured employee cannot sue their employer. Employees receiving these benefits have all of their medical costs paid, as well as their wages for missed work with a waiting period of roughly one week. The laws that govern worker’s compensation are complicated and the process is not always easily understood for the injured individual attempting to ensure that their health and livelihood are protected. Sometimes, the process goes smoothly, necessitating no outside involvement. Unfortunately, there are times when it is best to contact a worker compensation lawyer to assist. Following are five reasons for contacting an attorney about a workers compensation claim.
- Severity of Injury: This can be subjective, so one standard of measure is whether or not surgery is required in order to recover from the injury. If this is the case, healing should be an employee’s primary focus, not funding.
- Permanent Effects: A worker compensation attorney should immediately be contacted in the event that a medical professional states that the health of the employee will never return to what it was before the incident. For most people involved except the injured person, keeping cost down is the motivation, and a worker receiving a permanent partial disability award is expensive. Worse would be the prospect of permanent disability, and best left to a professional.
- Pre-Existing Conditions: If there might be a way for an employer or the insurance company to claim that prior health issues were the cause of medical problems, contact a workers compensation law firm before the issue can even come up.
- Disputing a Decision: In the event that an employer or their insurance company makes a decision that the employee does not agree with, it is their right to dispute it. While it is possible for a layperson to successfully file this dispute, a worker compensation lawyer has the knowledge to ensure that it is done correctly.
- Denial of Medical Coverage: The most obvious time to call a workers compensation lawyer is when coverage has been denied. At this point, knowledge and experience are necessities in order to protect the rights and well-being of an employee. A person should not be forced to manage the burden of medical bills from a workplace injury.
All workers compensation cases are unique and there are many possible factors involved. The average length of time away from work due to such injuries in 2013 was eight, and the wages from just only those days can be vital. If more days are missed, the effect on a person’s financial situation simply worsens. In such difficult times, a worker compensation lawyer can be the only real option.
