Workplace accidents can lead to serious injuries. When they occur at large warehouses and construction sites, the resulting damage could be devastating and long-lasting. Though seemingly less dangerous, restaurants, big box stores, and offices also contain hazards that could lead you to your harm. If you were hurt in one of these environments—or anywhere else while on the job—you may be entitled to payment through the workers’ compensation system.
A seasoned St. Louis workers’ compensation lawyer at our firm could help you seek the financial recovery you deserve. Whether you are just beginning your claim or are faced with an initial denial, our dedicated personal injury attorneys are ready to get to work to protect your rights.
Common Workplace Accidents
The Missouri workers’ compensation system helps protect injured workers regardless of who was at-fault for the accident. If you were harmed while working for your employer, you could be entitled to compensation for that accident to help you heal. While jobs in a factory or warehouse are more likely to cause serious injuries than an office job, any job could create potential hazards that hurt you.
Common accidents that may allow recover through workers’ compensation system include:
- Premises liability accidents
- Exposure to hazardous substances
- Construction site accidents
- Slip and fall accidents while at work
- Stair, scaffolding, and ladder falls
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Insufficient training on dangerous machinery
- Defective equipment accidents
These types of incidents and many others may fall within the workers’ compensation law in Missouri. When they do, a worker is entitled to payments whether the accident was the employer’s fault or their own. Following a workplace injury, contact a knowledgeable workers’ comp lawyer in St. Louis to learn more about your rights.
Benefits in St. Louis Workers’ Compensation Cases
When a worker is harmed on the job, they are usually owed several forms of monetary damages. Compensation might include:
- Medical Expenses: This may include medical bills, emergency room care, rehabilitative therapy, surgeries, and much more.
- Lost Wages: If a person loses time at work, they are entitled to their weekly pay at two-thirds of the regular pay.
- Permanent Disability Payments: If an accident causes a permanent disability, the person can receive two-thirds of their wages, tax-free, for the remainder of the person’s life.
- Death Benefits: If a person dies in a workplace accident, death benefits may be owed to the surviving spouse or other applicable family member. These can include burial expenses and ongoing payments.
These forms of benefits and others may apply to a particular individual’s case. When they do, they may help a person and their family recover from all the losses they suffered following an injury at work.
Applying for Workers’ Compensation
The Missouri Industrial Commission administers the workers’ compensation program. Applying for compensation through the system requires the worker to report the injury to the employer—generally within thirty days of the injury. The employer may choose the doctor to treat the worker, though the worker is permitted to hire their own doctor at their own expense.
After that time, the worker will file their claim and it will be examined by the Industrial Commission. Finally, a pre-hearing, mediation, and official hearing may occur where the request will either be approved or denied. A skilled St. Louis attorney could help an injured person apply for workers’ compensation and obtain a full recovery for their damages.
Recover from Your Injuries with the Help of a St. Louis Workers’ Compensation Attorney
Applying for workers’ comp coverage could provide you with the financial support you need to fully recover following an injury. Let our attorneys protect your rights and help you seek benefits you are owed. Reach out to an experienced St. Louis workers’ compensation lawyer at our firm to get started on your claim.
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