Did you recently suffer a fall at your workplace?
Aside from concentrating on recovering from your injuries, you may also be wondering whether you're entitled to compensation for your accident. Filing a slip and fall lawsuit against your employer may have also crossed your mind.
But what options are actually at your disposal after your accident, and who is responsible for ensuring that you're made whole? We aim to answer just this in this week's blog post.
Before the worker's compensation system was ever established, if an employee suffered a fall at their workplace they were very likely to file a lawsuit against their employer in pursuit of remuneration for their injuries.
If you know anything about the legal claims systems in general, then you probably know that even simple cases can be delayed significantly if the right steps are not taken. Now, consider an already-overloaded system having to process all types of work accident claims, even small ones, and you can understand how injured employees would have to wait a very long time to receive their deserved compensation.
As a result, the modern worker's comp system was established.
In most states, and in most workplace accident cases, the injured employee gives up the right to file suit against their employer over their injury. On the other hand, the employer is perpetually forced to purchase insurance to cover any injuries their employees may suffer, even when an accident is unlikely.
In this manner, workers get the treatment they need much sooner, employers aren't bogged down by legal claims, and the weight placed on the justice system by work accidents is lifted. It was seen as a "win-win-win."
While the workers' comp system has made it so that injured employees are able to receive financial compensation and healthcare within a much shorter time frame, there are still some cases in which filing a lawsuit is possible.
For instance, if an employer has not purchased the required workers' comp insurance coverage for an employee or employees and an injury-causing accident occurs, then it may be possible to file a lawsuit. As a result, a great majority of employers make it a priority to ensure that this insurance coverage is paid for.
Nevertheless, cases involving slip and falls at work can be quite complex. There may be laws or other specific situations which permit victims of these accidents to receive additional compensation. Even if the injured employee is only moving forward with a workers' comp claim, it can be quite helpful to be able to rely on the help of a legal representative.
Our worker's comp attorneys handle the entire claims process, from beginning to end. They communicate with your employer and with the insurance companies on your behalf, fighting aggressively to secure the maximum compensation for your case.
Some claims are settled promptly, while others can be drawn out by insurance providers if they find reasons for which to deny your coverage. In either case, having an experienced legal team at your side will bring you peace of mind as you will know your best interests are being upheld.
Our work falling injury attorneys are here to help. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation legal consultation. Simply call our 24/7 helpline or fill out the form on this page. We look forward to serving you.
