We all have to work to make money so we can pay our bills, enjoy life’s amenities, and have a comfortable retirement. Unfortunately, the reality is that life can be unpredictable, and sometimes, we end up getting hurt while on the job.
Work-related injuries can vary in nature. Some are minor and have little impact on our livelihoods, while others could prevent us from ever being the same again. Not only are there financial implications to serious injuries, but there are also emotional consequences in many cases.
You might be wondering what constitutes a work-related injury and what to do when it occurs. There are many types of work-related injury scenarios, so let’s take a look at a few that you could face and how to handle them.
Personal Injury
Personal injury law is a unique sector in the legal field. It comes into play whenever a person is hurt and faces damages due to the negligence of another party. The at-fault party could be an individual, a company, or even the government, depending on the circumstances of the incident. Many work-related injuries will not fall under this category because they are either no one’s fault or they are solely the fault of the victim. However, if your injury was due to the negligence of another, then you could consider filing a personal injury lawsuit.
In this type of case, you would likely hire a lawyer who would help you compile evidence against the at-fault party. There must be damages such as lost wages, medical bills, emotional suffering, or even property damage that resulted from the incident. In order to win the settlement, you would need to prove that negligence was the direct cause of your injury. For work-related injuries, a personal injury settlement could supplement other benefits such as worker’s compensation.
Worker’s Compensation
Worker’s compensation is a type of insurance that all businesses are required to have. It is paid out to workers who may become injured or ill as a direct result of their work. If this injury or illness results in missed time at work, then the individual can receive cash benefits and/or medical care from the insurance company. The main difference between worker’s compensation and a personal injury settlement is that fault does not come into play.
For example, perhaps you work in a storage warehouse, and you end up dropping a heavy item on your foot and breaking a bone. You may be out of commission for a few weeks and unable to work and get paid. Even though the injury was technically your fault, worker’s compensation insurance would kick in once you file a claim, and it could pay cash benefits or medical care costs on your behalf. Insurance companies often drag their feet in paying out benefits for worker’s compensation, so hiring a lawyer for your claim may be necessary to ensure you receive what you are owed.
Armed Forces-Related Injuries
Many individuals choose to serve our country in the armed forces. As a result, they could receive an injury or disability that has lifelong consequences. For service members who have been injured while on duty, there is a separate category of benefits that can come into play outside of traditional worker’s compensation. These are known as VA disability benefits.
When you have a service-related injury or disability, it is assigned a certain rating depending on its severity and impact on your lifestyle. However, if you have multiple disabilities because of your service, this becomes a little more complicated. The rating directly affects the level of benefits that you receive, so it is important to understand your full disability rating. You can check it with a VA disability rating calculator. Sometimes, these issues are hard to quantify, and the Department of Veterans Affairs is not always the quickest to respond to a claim, so hiring a VA disability lawyer may be worth considering if your benefits are held up.
Legal Professionals Can Help You Navigate Work-Related Injuries
Whether you serve in the Armed Forces, work at a retail store, or find employment in a storage warehouse, injuries are possible while you are on duty. Often, these injuries will harm your livelihood, especially when it comes to finances. It is crucial that you understand your rights as a worker and how your employer is meant to protect your interests, whether they are a private company or the government itself. Take some time to learn the basics of workplace injury law so that you are prepared in the event of an injury. The benefits that you receive from a personal injury settlement, worker’s compensation package, or VA disability claim could be what saves your financial future.
