Throughout the United States, workers are injured on the job more often than you might believe. In 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 888,220 non-fatal injuries and illnesses causing workers to miss at least one day of work. If you or a loved one have been injured while on the job, you may be wondering what your next steps should be. If you suffer an injury while on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Filing a workers’ compensation claim will enable you to collect a percentage of your average weekly wages and medical bills. However, certain non-economic damage, such as pain and suffering, are not covered by workers’ compensation.
What to Do if You’re Injured on the Job
If you’ve been injured on the job, you should report the accident to your employer, even if you don’t immediately experience any symptoms. Many states require you to report your accident within a specific time frame in order to be covered by workers’ compensation laws.
In most cases, state laws bar employees from filing a lawsuit against their employers to recover damages for a workplace injury. However, you can file a workers’ compensation claim, even if your own negligence caused or contributed to the accident. Unfortunately, workers’ compensation benefits are limited. Often, they provide less financial help than is necessary as you recover from severe injuries or lifelong disabilities due to the accident.
In some cases, if you were injured at work and someone other than your employer or coworker is at fault, you may be able to file a lawsuit outside of the workers’ compensation system to make a third-party liability claim. For example, if you are driving as part of your job and are injured in an automobile accident due to the negligence of another driver, you may be able to bring a third-party lawsuit against the other driver. In such a case, you could collect workers’ compensation benefits and file a lawsuit in civil court for damages not covered by workers’ compensation such as pain and suffering and other non-economic damages.
If You Have Sustained a Serious Workplace Injury, Contact Aigen Injury Law
If you’ve been injured on the job, an attorney can help you determine the best way to proceed. At Aigen Injury Law, we’ll talk with you in detail about your on-the-job injury, assessing the facts of the case. We will guide you through the steps you need to take to protect your legal rights and navigate the workers’ compensation system. We will fight aggressively to pursue the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to receive. We do not collect any legal fees unless we are able to collect damages for you.
Contact our office today for a free consultation to learn more about how we can help.