Accidents While Working

It can be very difficult to figure out what you should do when you are hurt on the job. Oftentimes, people will want to focus on just getting back to work and doing as their employer says, so as not to jeopardize their job. An injury on the job can certainly complicate your case, but we are here to help see you through it. There are a few steps we will need to go through to help you.

First, we will want to make sure that your injuries are being properly addressed. If you were on the job, you may have worker’s compensation benefits. We are here to help determine whether those benefits would apply. If they do, there is often a misconception that accidents while working are strictly a worker’s compensation claim.  However, you can have both an injury claim and a worker’s compensation claim. When we obtain a recovery from a third party we will be obligated to reimburse your worker’s compensation coverage. The benefit to you is making sure your bills are covered as they come up.  Additionally, you still have the opportunity to be compensated for your pain and suffering, even if your worker’s compensation benefits were utilized.

Second, we will need to determine who may be liable for your injuries. If you are injured by the negligent action of another employee, independent contractor hired by your employer, or negligence of your employer itself, your claim is probably strictly a worker’s compensation claim. However, if your injury was the result of an independent third party we should be able to help seek recovery for you. It is important you meet with us to discuss these complications.

Finally, there are many elements to a worker’s compensation claim that involve more laws and make the claim more complicated. One issue is the effect on the statute of limitations. For many claims you have two years in which to file a lawsuit. However, for a worker’s compensation claim, you only possess the right to the claim for the first year and your worker’s compensation carrier possesses it for the second. Because of this, time may be of the essence and we encourage you to contact us sooner rather than later.