Work Accidents That Aren’t Your Fault : Getting What You’re Entitled To
If you’re wondering how to get proper compensation after being involved in a workplace accident that was someone else’s fault, you’re not alone. Many employees struggle to understand the labyrinth of red tape and bureaucracy they must deal with when seeking out a monetary award for pain and suffering sustained in a workplace accident. To begin winding through the maze of processes, you must contact your boss and ask him (or her) to write up the accident in their “accident books” – most workplaces will have a ledger filled with records of all workplace accidents. You must also do your part by writing up your own version of events; sometimes, the version that management writes up will not be the same as yours – when there are differing views about whose fault an accident is, the local compensation board may be the organization that will make a judgment about an accident. Labor unions are powerful resources that are there to assist their members in times of crisis, and union representatives may work as advocates for their members when workplace accidents occur. In cases where the workplace in unionized, it may be easier to get compensation, because you’ll have a team standing behind you. However, management is used to dealing with union representatives, so being in a union is (in and of itself) no real guarantee of getting compensated for your injuries. It’s still important to contact a union representative right away when things don’t seem to be going well with management. If you’re in a non-unionized workplace, look for community support agencies that provide free legal services and other advocacy to citizens. If you can afford it, hiring a lawyer may be a wise decision. All of your medical records (pertaining to injuries sustained due to the accident) will be valuable evidence in the case of a legal court battle regarding your compensation claim. Even if you don’t end up suing and pursuing legal action, any medical records that are signed by a doctor will help you to state your case to management, unions, or advocates. Without medical records, it will be difficult to verify that your injuries are real (rather than invented or exaggerated for the purpose of monetary gain). Therefore, visiting the doctor right after the accident, or shortly thereafter, is always an excellent idea. Going to the doctor or emergency room on the same day as your accident is obviously the ideal. If you have sustained a chronic or long-term injury or disability related to a workplace accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be in line for lucrative compensation. However, without medical records signed by a licensed general physician, it will be difficult to back up your claim for compensation. Personal injury lawyers spend their career helping people just like you, who’ve been injured through no fault of their own. Hiring a personal injury lawyer is a big step, and you will need a fairly strong case before you can retain a top-notch attorney of this type. Because these lawyers tend to work for a percentage of final settlements to their clients, they are rather choosy about which cases they take. If you think you’ve been wronged and you want money to cover your medical costs, cost-of-living, and loss of income, seek out a great personal injury lawyer and discuss your case with him or her. If you have the cash, you can also pay a lawyer by the hour – in this situation, they will probably take your case no matter how weak or strong it is. In a best-case scenario, a company will try to avoid a long and arduous court case by settling with you outside of the courtroom. However, this is never a sure thing. It’s quite possible that you may end up in court – you will need plenty of poise and confidence as you take on this significant challenge. Since companies usually have far more money to play with, they will tend to “lawyer up” and do everything they can to get out of paying you a single penny. Weigh your options carefully before entering a courtroom to seek compensation against your company – listen to your lawyer when he or she explains the odds of winning or losing. Then, make a decision that you can live with. In a perfect world, everyone who is injured on the job through no fault of their own will get the money they need to heal, pay their bills, and move on to a better life. In reality, justice may not always be done. Money talks, in the courtroom and out in the real world – unfortunately, companies often have far more money to throw into legal defenses and other media initiatives related to accidents in the workplace. If you’ve truly got a very strong case against your employer, their lawyers may advise the company to settle out of court. If you don’t have a strong case, you may be in for quite a ride in the courtroom. Take the advice of your lawyer, weigh the pros and cons, and make a decision about how to pursue your goal of being compensated for the accident. Continue – Accident At Work Compensation