Workplace Accidents: Your Rights
Regardless of what your job entails, where you work, or who you work for, your employer is responsible for ensuring that you are kept safe from accidents, injuries, and illnesses whilst on the job. Additionally, employers have a duty to properly inform their staff about any health and safety risks in the workplace.
If the accident wasn’t your fault, it’s important to claim compensation for any losses that you suffered. This will help you get your life back to normal and ensure your financial security.
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Compensation helps make a wider difference to workplace safety and holds employers accountable for their conduct.
Worker's Compensation
Personal Injury Claims
Claiming Compensation
Worker’s Compensation
With the notable exception of Texas, some form of worker’s compensation is mandatory for all businesses in the United States. It entitles you to financial compensation for losses related to your injuries. This includes your medical expenses and part of your lost wages, often referred to as “disability.” Some states also offer rehabilitation benefits.
Personal Injury Claims
If you’re not entitled to worker’s compensation due to state exemptions, filing a personal injury claim will be your next option. This entitles you to full compensation for your injuries, including pain and suffering, lost future income, and other forms of economic harm. Personal injury claims are also suitable when the employer was not at fault for the accident.
This includes situations such as when a contractor, subcontractor, or negligent driver was involved. It will also be suitable if your injury was the result of a dangerous or defective product. Finally, a personal injury claim is useful if your employer intentionally caused the injury or is denying your worker’s compensation claim.
Claiming Compensation
So, what can you claim compensation for? After all, workplace injuries can affect your life in numerous ways. Fortunately, there are a number of common kinds of loss that you can claim for. This includes care and assistance, travel expenses, medical costs, treatment, and loss of earnings.
This is not all you can claim for. In fact, this list is rather extensive and diverse.
For instance, you may be able to claim compensation for pension and benefits losses, missed career opportunities, ruined career prospects, and inability to attend holidays, weddings, and other important events.
That said, it’s important to be transparent and realistic about your losses. In doing so, you can secure your compensation and ensure that everything is adequately covered.
Who Pays?
In most cases, your employer is liable for paying your claim. This may not mean that they’ll pay directly, especially these days, when most employers have Employers Liability insurance, which covers employers against the costs of any claims directed towards them.
Conclusion
If you’ve recently experienced an accident at work, your best bet would be to begin the claim process as soon as possible. This way, you can maintain your quality of life and ensure your future financial stability.