Marion County Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Many employees have experienced an injury while on the job. If you were injured at work, physical rehabilitation, medical expenses, and lost wages are just some of the issues you may be dealing with.
To help those injured while at work, the government established a system of workers’ compensation to specifically handle workplace injury claims. But utilizing this tricky system and obtaining justice can be difficult. This is where an experienced workers’ compensation attorney would be useful. A Marion County workers’ compensation lawyer can help you get the most out of this complex system.
The Compensation Bargain
Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance that provides wage replacement and medical benefits to employees hurt on the job.
As a condition of participating in the system, employees waive their ability to sue in court. The tradeoff between definite but limited coverage, and losing the chance to have a day in court is known as “the compensation bargain.”
Workers’ compensation exists in part so that injured employees whose employers went out of business after a big accident would not be left without options for obtaining compensation.
Unfortunately, some companies have devised methods of using the rules as a means of denying injured workers fair compensation. Fortunately, a Marion County workers’ compensation lawyer knows the system inside and out and are willing to fight for the rights of the victims.
Knowing When to Appeal
It is not unusual for insurers to reject valid workers’ compensation claims, hoping that the injured workers will not exercise their right to appeal. All too frequently, workers who are hurt on the job accept the denial of their claim without seeking an evaluation from a higher authority.
It is important to not let the employer or insurer get away with this. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can give an injury victim a realistic assessment of the value of that claim, and advice about whether it is worth it to appeal the denial – as it often is.
Companies will sometimes make settlement offers, but they almost never cover all the lost wages or medical expenses that the injured worker is handling. The worker can’t rely on the workers’ compensation judge to make sure the deal is fair. Many judges will sign off on any settlement that does not seem obviously unjust on its face.
Again, an objective assessment by a Marion County workers’ compensation lawyer who is there solely to represent the victim’s interests can be very beneficial to the injured.
Permanent Disability
A worker who has suffered permanent disability as a result of an on-the-job injury—whether total or partial—may be entitled to lifetime weekly payments (or a single lump sum) to make up for all that lost income. Insurance companies will fight tenaciously to avoid making these payments.
Social Security is another factor in these calculations. If the settlement isn’t structured properly, Social Security may be entitled to a big chunk of the benefits. A Marion County workers’ compensation lawyer can draft a contract so as to minimize this offset.
Speak with a Marion County Workers’ Compensation Attorney
Sometimes an employer will try to terminate, demote or otherwise punish a worker who has won damages in a successful injury claim. This is absolutely illegal, and should be blocked in court.
While the workers’ compensation system may seem straightforward at first, it is important to receive advice from a Marion County workers’ compensation lawyer whose only job is to protect your interests, rather than relying on promises from employers and insurers that may have their own interests at heart.
