Accidents occur on a day to day basis due to multiple reasons. However, when another party's negligence causes an injury, things can be taken into legal matters.
Every employee has the right to operate under safe working conditions that free them from hazardous situations. So, if you ever encounter an injury at work due to your employer's negligence or a third party, the first step to take is to contact your lawyer.
Why Should I Bother?
Although some might find it easier to leave an unfortunate situation as it is, employees’ rights exist to free employees from work-related harassment and receive financial reimbursement. In every situation, someone has to be held accountable. The act of exercising your right as an employee wronged by a neglectful manager or third-party implicates justice and sets societal equality for all members.
Besides, injuries require immediate medical attention, and medical bills are not entirely sale-priced. Wouldn't you prefer to claim your company's worker's compensation rather than reach into your pocket?
What Should I Do?
When you are injured on the job, the obvious course of action is to immediately report the incident to your employer. Although severe injuries may be difficult to report right away, it is important to do it as quickly as possible. In this matter, the ideal course of action is to learn more how to go about this process. Click here and you can learn more about the steps you may have to undertake. Once you've informed your employer about your situation, you may contact your lawyer as you file for a claim with the workers' compensation court or industrial court. Doing so will put your injury under proper attention from the court, your employer, and their insurance company. It will also allow the state to grant you legal protection.
What Are The Worker's Compensation Laws?
Worker's compensation laws are a set of legal rights that protect an employee from work abuse and help deliver proper financial compensation at a time of injury or untimely incident. Although it may vary, depending on the place, it includes the following fundamental rights:
- the right to seek medical treatment
- the right to file a claim in court for attained injuries
- the right to be represented by a lawyer through the legal procedures
- the right to disagree and appeal to the court's decision
- the right to return to work without employer backlash
- the right to disability compensation when deemed unfit to return to work by a doctor or physician
It is essential to know and understand your rights to exercise them during appropriate situations. An example of a workers' compensation law from Ohio explains the requirements needed by each employee for their compensation claim.
Third-Party Claims
During some situations, your boss may have taken every safety measure into account, but an employee still gets injured. In cases like this, negligence does not come from the employer but from a third party. They may either be a product manufacturer, a visitor, etc.
Injuries caused by third parties require a different but similar procedure. Instead of filing a claim in the workers' compensation court, you may apply for a civil lawsuit instead. These types of cases are handled in state or federal courts and have different requirements and financial compensations.
Fighting for your rights as an employee is no easy feat. This is true, especially if your workplace is not safe, to begin with. Knowing your rights is the first step to protect yourself from abuse. May the tips above be of service when you find yourself in this kind of situation.
