.jpg)
.jpg)
Once you’ve been injured at work, you should report the incident to your employer as soon as you can. Typically, this should be done within 45 days, but the earlier, the better. After you’ve notified your employer, it can be beneficial to start looking for a workers’ compensation attorney to get your case started. Hiring a lawyer can be the difference between getting the compensation you deserve and not getting compensation, so it’s important not to take any chances. Contact the skilled professionals at Vasilatos Injury Law today.
The Most Common Workplace Injuries
Getting hurt at work can be daunting, particularly if you don’t know if your injury will be covered under workers’ compensation. To get a better idea of whether your will, it can be helpful to learn about some of the most common workplace injuries and compare your situation—many injuries that may seem like they wouldn’t qualify actually do.
Some of the most common workplace injuries include:
- Overexertion: Perhaps the most common injuries that occur at work, these involve pushing, lifting, pulling, carrying, holding, or throwing.
- Slips and falls: When a person slips and falls because of slippery or uneven ground, or un-cleared walkways during winter.
- Traffic incidents: Injuries that happen while using company vehicles.
- Repetitive motion: Injuries sustained by repeating the same movement over and over.
- Struck against an object: Injuries that involve windows, doors, walls, etc.
- Caught in/compressed by: Typically in factories, these injuries often involve heavy machinery.
- Fall to a lower level: When falling off a ladder or roof, or down stairs causes an injury.
- Workplace assault: When one or more workers are assaulted on the job.
- Struck by an object: When an object that is falling or one that has been dropped causes an injury.
What You Need to Know About Workers’ Compensation Cases
While hiring a lawyer is very beneficial, you can also benefit from learning more about your case on your own. For instance, finding out what the statute of limitations is, what paperwork you will need, and what type of compensation you should fight for is important. Types of compensation can include permanent injury, medical bill reimbursement, and lost wages, to name a few. If you’re unsure of what you should fight for, working with a work injury attorney can be very helpful.
How to File a Claim
Filing a claim doesn’t have to be frustrating. In fact, when you work with a work injury attorney, it won’t be.
First, you’ll need to notify your employer of the incident. This should be done as soon as you can do so, and if you seek medical care, be sure to inform the staff that you have a work-related injury, as some employers require injured employees to seek care at specific facilities or with specific doctors.
Next, the insurance carrier will open a benefits claim after receiving reports either from the injured person or the employer. The claim will then be reviewed, and if it is found to be compensable, the carrier will contact the injured person and the employer to discuss the rate of pay or benefits to be distributed while the injured person recovers. If the claim is, for some reason, denied, the injured party will have the opportunity to appeal that decision.
