What is Workers’ Compensation?
- The Workers’ Compensation Act provides medical treatment and wage replacement benefits for employees who have been injured, disabled, or killed at work or who have become ill as a result of their jobs.
- Employees who have been injured or who have become ill as a result of their jobs are only eligible for benefits under the Workers’ Compensation Act.
- Employees can only sue their employers directly for benefits unless it can be proven that their employers intended to cause the injury or illness.
Why you need a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
- Suffering an injury or illness at work and applying for workers’ compensation is a stressful time. An experienced attorney can assist the affected employee in filing the paperwork required to apply for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Workers’ Compensation law is a specialized and complicated area of the law. A typical injured employee does not know the law, while the employer is familiar with the worker’s compensation process and knows how to terminate an employee’s benefits. An experienced attorney can level the playing field and assist the employee in preserving evidence, finding experts to assist in the prosecution of the case, and ensure that the employee is treated fairly.
- An attorney will make sure the employee receives the amount of compensation he/she is entitled to.
Benefits Available Through the Workers’ Compensation Act
- Reimbursement for necessary medical treatment
- Wage Replacement
- Temporary Total Disability
- Relapse or Recurrence of the original injury or illness
- Temporary Partial Disability
- Permanent Partial Disability
- Disfigurement of Scarring
- Job Retraining
- Vocational Rehabilitation
- Other Discretionary Benefits
What to do if you are injured on the job
- Immediately file a 30C Claim Form. Any delay can endanger your claim.
- 30C Claim Forms are available from any Workers’ Compensation District Office or from the Commission’s Education Services.
- Note: An “accident report” filed with your employer is Not an official claim for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Contact an attorney to discuss your rights and the recovery process that lies ahead.