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Some basic information re: workers compensation claims:
Workers compensation systems exist for two separate reasons. The first reason is to provide wage compensation, benefit continuation, and medical care to workers who have been injured on the job, or become ill as a result of their work environment. The second justification for workers compensation systems in all the various states is that they allow employers to address the needs of injured and sick workers in a no-fault environment. Yes, that's correct. By shielding the employer from costly and drawn-out litigation in most injury and illness scenarios, Workers compensation benefits the employer as much as the worker who needs to file a claim. Yet, despite this fact, the workers compensation system, as it exists in most states, is hardly a fair and balanced two-way street. In fact, the reality is often quite the opposite. For many workers who have been injured at their job, or become sick as a result of exposure to chemicals, contaminants, or a work environment that is unsafe in general, the workers compensation system is an adversarial one that pits the understandable concerns of injured workers against the financial-business interests of their employers. It is, of course, no accident that private investigators are being used in record numbers by workers compensation carriers in efforts to put injured workers at a disadvantage in the claim resolution process. For this reason, among many others, a worker who has found the need to file a claim for workers compensation benefits should strongly consider a consultation with an attorney who specializes in handling workers compensation claims. |