Work Injuries Compensation

If you been injured at work, you may be worried about how you are going to manage things financially, especially if you’re unable to work. Work injuries are something that can be compensated for.

What Should I Do If I Get Work Injuries?

When someone gets hurt at work, it’s always important to report the injury to your employer as quickly as possible. Although every workplace is different, the best approach is to give the employer written notice as soon as possible. However, that notice satisfies only what we call the notice requirement. It does not satisfy the claim filing requirement. To properly file a workers’ compensation claim, you must file a C-3 form with the workers’ compensation board.

To ensure proper filing of your claim, I would recommend that you call a workers’ compensation lawyer, have them properly complete that C-3 form for you, and get it filed. Also, if you’ve been hurt at work, seek medical treatment – and make sure to tell the doctor that you sustained work injuries. The doctor should then file a report with both the workers’ compensation insurance carrier and the workers’ compensation board. That gets the case up and running.

Workers’ Compensation

The first thing I like to do when people come into my office is share a general overview as to what workers’ comp is. What workers’ comp does for an injured worker, is as follows:

• It pays a percentage of your wages for as long as you’re disabled and cannot work because of the accident.
• It pays for all your medical treatment related to the accident.
• It pays you for mileage to and from the doctor and any medical treatment you may need.
• Finally, it pays for permanent injuries to the toes, feet, legs, fingers, hands, arms, eyes and ears, once you reach your best possible level of recovery for those injuries – referred to as reaching maximum medical improvement.

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We obtain opinions for what we call the scheduled loss of use for that part of the body, which corresponds with a dollar amount which is reduced by the amount of weekly benefits you’ve already been paid. You receive the remainder in a lump sum called your scheduled loss award, after which you’re still protected for any treatment you may need because of that accident. That’s basically what workers’ comp is – nothing more. It doesn’t pay for your pain and suffering, and it doesn’t pay punitive damages.

What Medical Bills are Paid if I Get Work Injuries?

The general rule is that the workers’ compensation carrier pays for all medical treatment related to injuries caused by a work-related accident or occupational disease. Specifically, the workers’ compensation board works through certain medical treatment guidelines that set forth what treatment is covered. If your doctor wants to prescribe treatment that is not addressed in those guidelines, the doctor must apply for a variance to those guidelines. Using a form called an MG-2, the doctor explains why the treatment is needed, even though it’s contrary to the medical treatment guidelines.

If you would like to seek legal representation for your work injuries, please call our Buffalo personal injury lawyers today.