You might be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits if you were injured at work. If you qualify, you can partially receive payments to replace your paycheck and for medical care related to your injury. You may also be eligible for vocational rehabilitation if you need help returning to work.
Employers in every state must provide their employees with a reasonably safe and healthy work environment. Unfortunately, sometimes employers fail to fulfill this duty, and employees are injured. Occasionally, however, employees can still be injured on the job even when every effort has been made to make the workplace safe. These injuries may include everything from broken bones to aggravations of pre-existing conditions, occupational illnesses and even psychological damages.
The most important way to protect your legal rights is to report your injury to your employer. Most states require that you register your injury within a certain period, typically the same day or within a few days of the incident. Depending on the circumstances of the damage, this may not always be possible, but it is essential to report the injury as quickly as possible.
The next step you can take to protect your rights is to file a claim with the state’s workers’ compensation court or industrial court. Again, this puts your employer, the court and your employer’s insurance company on formal notice of your injury. Once your claim is filed, certain automatic protections are immediately put in place.
When getting injured at work, you could lose possible work days, which means a loss in wages. If you are injured on the job and cannot work, come to Castel & Hall, LLP., where we can get you the compensation you deserve.