Understanding Workers’ Rights After On-The-Job Injuries

If you have been injured on the job it is critically important that you understand your rights as a worker. It is the duty of your employer to provide a reasonably safe environment for you to do your job. Yet, even when an employer meets their obligations and does this, that does not mean that the work environment will be completely free of hazards and work-related accidents won’t happen. On-the-job accidents can result in injuries, illness, and death. 

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported recently that every 96 minutes someone died from a work-related injury. Reported work-related fatalities are on the rise in the country. Industries like transportation and materials moving, construction, and law enforcement are some of the most dangerous to be employed but anyone in any occupation has the potential to be injured or suffer a fatal injury at work.

If you have a work-related injury or if you lost a loved one from a fatal illness or injury they sustained while at work, call the Tampa personal injury attorneys at Fulgencio Law. You have rights and you may be able to take legal action to obtain compensation for the losses you had to endure.

Your Legal Options After a Work Place Accident

After a workplace accident, you should report it to your employer as soon as you can. If you have a severe injury and can’t do it right away, you have 30 days to make a report. If you fail to report within the 30-day timeframe, then you may have your workers’ compensation claim denied.

Seeing a doctor is imperative and should be done immediately after a workplace accident. After you have a diagnosis, you can file a workers’ compensation claim. This will notify your employer that you are seeking benefits. Your employer then has seven days to report your incident and injury to their workers’ compensation insurance provider.

Staying up to date on the status of your claim is critical. You should keep all information related to your workplace injury accident organized so you can easily retrieve anything that is required to help your claim move along. After 21 days have passed since your injury report when you are still unable to work, then you should receive your first payment.

The insurance company can dispute your claim and deny you benefits. If this happens to you navigating this challenging situation can be difficult. An attorney can help you figure out what to do to overcome this and improve your chances of getting the benefits you need. This is also true if your employer is retaliating against you. Here too, you should speak with an attorney who can assist you. You have the right to appeal a denied workers’ compensation claim in Florida.

In some situations, an injured worker can obtain workers’ compensation benefits and also file a personal injury claim against a third party for compensation. 

Call Fulgencio Law Today

The Tampa personal injury attorneys at Fulgencio Law can assist you if you have been injured at work and would like to file a claim for compensation. You may call (813) 463-0123 to schedule a free consultation with a knowledgeable and responsive attorney.