Non fatal on-the-job injuries cause physical, emotional, and financial pain to over two and a half million Americans a year [Source: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/osh.pdf] While many people understand that if they have been involved in an on the job injury, they are entitled to compensation, but they typically don’t know where to start. Fear of retaliation by employers, companies who promote an unspoken culture of “toughness,” and fear of gossip from co-workers prevents many people from seeking the healthcare they need after a Workers’ Compensation injury. It can also prevent them from seeking help from an experienced Workers’ Comp Attorney. It’s important to note that all employers are required to pay for and carry this special insurance for on the job injuries, so reporting these types of incidents will not come put of your employer’s pocket.
Workplace Car Accidents
If you have a job with any employer at all, and you are driving on company time for any reason related to your duties, your case qualifies as a Workers’ Compensation case. In the event that you are at fault in such an accident, your Worker’s Compensation insurance, carried through your employer will typically cover your damages. In the event that you are not at fault in a workplace related vehicle accident, an additional claim against the at fault party can be pursued by your employer.
Why We Have Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Since the late 1800’s, Workers’ Compensation has been adopted by most industrial countries. Louisiana has thousands of hard working men and women that work under tough conditions, and we have certainly seen our fair share of workplace industries due to a high number of dangerous occupations. In 1912, a commission was put together through the Louisiana State legislature to outline the urgent need to protect workers from life altering or fatal accidents. As a more modern, post Civil War state was being built from the ground up, more and more workers were dying or getting injured. These laws remained largely unchanged until 1975, when language was added to delineate between partial and total disability.
Workers’ Compensation laws protect workers from an atmosphere of unsafe employment practices and policies, and they also help to keep these injured workers afloat, especially in times where they are no longer able to work because of an injury.
If you have been injured in a work-related accident, you need an experienced attorney who will be both tough against the insurance company and compassionate towards you during this most difficult of seasons. The choice is always yours to select your own attorney, healthcare providers, therapists, and more.
Since 2004, The Law Office of Stephen Gaubert has represented over 1,000 Workers’ Comp plaintiffs, and these cases make up 85% of our caseload. Worker’s Comp is what we do. Call us today for a free and confidential consultation.
