When you work at a job in the US worker’s compensation benefits are often taken for granted, and rightly so. Every US state and territory currently has workers compensation laws that are designed to do away with traditional personal injury litigation that is costly and ends up too often in settlements that are one sided. Workers’ compensation also fills the role of removing health and injury risk coverage for both the employee and the employer creating a better working environment for all.
When there is no workers’ compensation in place, an employee who becomes ill or is injured at work will likely need to file a lawsuit to prove their employer is responsible and to receive compensation. The process of going through these types of lawsuits often backed by large insurers supporting the companies, can take years, cause mental stress, and will not provide needed support to the injured employee in the meantime.
Employees must be aware that workers; compensation is a right provided in every state. And in the event that there is a failure of it to be provided or a dispute about it, the injured or ill employee can hire a local law firm that specializes in workers’ compensation claims. For example, if the workers’ compensation dispute occurs in Seattle Washington, the employee should immediately engage a reputable firm local Seattle attorney like the Walthew Law Firm to represent them.
Workers Compensation Provides Compensation
Workers’ compensation laws vary from state to state but generally cover all employees in firms where there are three or more employees. Workers’ compensation is provided by private companies and from the day and employee is hired until the employee is no longer employed at the company he is she is covered by workers’ compensation insurance.
When an employee is injured or falls ill at work, they are legally eligible to recover income and expenses that include: lost wages, medical expenses, disability payments, and costs associated with their rehabilitation and retraining.
Workers Compensation Disputes
The employer must provide insurance coverage for all of the company’s employees and if there is a workers compensation claim it can cause his insurance premiums to increase. For this reason employers can sometimes try and intimidate employees regarding filing a claim. They will also sometimes harass or threaten those who witnessed an injury to not be a witness for the claim. Finally some employers will dispute claims seeking to prevent or limit the amount of compensation and care an employee will receive.
When this occurs there is a dispute between the employee and employer. For the employee, the first option is to talk with the employer and if no resolution can be reached the employee can aggressively demand dispute resolution options involving the Worker’s Compensation Board. The employee at this point however should have already engaged an attorney. Because workers’ compensation claims are always complicated, will involve large insurers, and the process of navigating them detailed an employee can make mistakes that will limit or eliminate their ability to win a dispute. A reputable workers’ compensation attorney will provide great counsel on how to get the compensation that is owed and needed.
