Wakefield, RI, Workers Compensation Marasco & Nesselbush
If you’ve experienced a job-related accident that has left you unable to work, you’re entitled by state law to receive workers’ compensation benefits. If you’ve encountered any difficulties in getting your benefits, our Wakefield work comp lawyers can help. Call us to discuss your accident and get the legal help you might need. Your consultation is free and you won’t pay us anything until we secure benefits for you.Contact us now and get started.
Contact for a free consultationDo I Qualify For Workers Compensation?
Employers are required by the state to have a workers compensation policy in place for their employees. This insurance is paid to injured employees regardless of who was at fault in an accident. If you apply for workers compensation, you relinquish your right to sue your employer for the accident and related losses.
There are three basic legal prerequisites you must meet to be eligible for benefits:
- Your employer must have a workers compensation policy in place or must be legally required to have one
- You must be an employee status of the company. Independent contractors normally aren’t covered
- The accident or injury must have happened at work or be work-related
It is important to note that if your injury was intentionally inflicted or if an accident occurred because you were intoxicated, you will not be eligible for benefits.
What Should I Do After an Accident?
Workers compensation covers the cost of your initial treatment with your first medical provider (emergency room visits or the company’s doctor do not count as such). Although your employer may suggest a medical provider, you are entitled to make own decision in that regard. If your first medical provider refers you to a specialist, you do not need prior approval to visit that specialist. If, however, you want to change doctors during the course of your treatment, you will need approval from your employer’s insurance provider.
Medical bills related to your injury should be paid in full by your employer’s insurance company. If you are denied coverage, please contact us immediately for advice as to the best course of action.
What Are My Benefits?
- weekly compensation for lost wages;
- payment for all medical expenses related to the injuries, including medication and rehabilitation;
- payment for scarring and the loss of use of a body part and
- vocational rehabilitation which includes job placement assistance or job training.
If your accident leaves you disabled and unable to return to your previous employment, you may also claim disability benefits payable from the workers’ compensation insurance. You may claim Partial Disability benefits if you are able to adjust to another type of employment but won’t receive as high an income, or Total Disability benefits if you can no longer earn a living.
Workers compensation can also pay death benefits to the family of a worker who died in a work-related accident. Such benefits are normally payable to the immediate family of the deceased such as a spouse or dependent children.
Common Work-Related Accidents
Workplace Accidents Can Happen to Anyone
Despite the majority of serious accidents happening on construction sites, the truth is that professionals in all lines of work can experience serious, life-changing accidents while working. Many of these mishaps result in injuries or illnesses that require multiple hospital stays, long rehabilitation, or constant medication. Rarely is it the case that an injured worker can return to work quickly after such a grievous physical setback. This, in turn, can have dramatic consequences on a person’s financial stability.
We Can Help
Our Wakefield work comp attorneys can help you maximize your benefits and make sure that you get the full amount you are entitled to. The assistance of an experienced attorney will be absolutely critical if your employer or their insurance company want to dispute your claim, trying to minimize the impact of the accident on your life in order to avoid payment. These types of disputes involve highly complex legal procedures and thorough knowledge of all the pertaining regulations is essential to successfully fight this battle. Our attorneys have what it takes to see you through this legal struggle.
What Types of Injury are Covered?
- Slip and fall accidents
- Machine crushing or entanglement
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Overexertion injuries
- Falling objects
- Electric shock or electrocutions
- Contact with harmful or toxic substances