Any injury sustained at work can interrupt your quality of life temporarily or even permanently, not to mention impose a financial burden due to time missed from work and the cost of ongoing medical care. If you sustain an injury on the job, in most cases, you are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits through your employer.
However, even though most employers in St. Louis and across Missouri are required to provide workers’ compensation benefits, denials are far too common. Insurance carriers often deploy strategies to reduce or eliminate any potential payout of workers’ compensation benefits in St. Louis.
If you have been injured at work and are having trouble collecting the benefits you are rightfully owed or are unsure how to even claim benefits, speak with an attorney who can immediately get to work advocating on your behalf with all parties involved. The dedicated team of lawyers at OnderLaw can help you fill out the claims paperwork, ensure you get the medical care you need, collect evidence to support your case, and manage all aspects of your workers’ compensation claim from start to finish.
Workplace injuries can occur in any employment setting, whether you work in an office or on a construction site. However, workers in certain industries may be exposed to more hazards on a daily basis that could heighten the risk of injury. The most common environments where workplace accidents are reported include the following sectors:
These incidents could arise as the result of a serious slip and fall, repetitive motion injuries, overexertion injuries, or exposure to toxic chemicals or substances. Exposure to electricity or other potentially dangerous elements as well as accidents involving equipment, objects, or machinery are also among the leading causes of workplace accidents. Any of these incidents could result in injuries that put you out of work for weeks to months.
In some cases, these injuries could be so severe that you cannot perform some or all of your required job duties. Examples of injuries that could leave you in a situation where you need to apply for workers’ compensation coverage in St. Louis include head, back, neck, shoulder, spinal cord, and brain injuries. Other common injuries that can be covered by these benefits include:
While most employers in Missouri must carry workers’ compensation coverage, there are exceptions. One of our trusted St. Louis attorneys can help you understand your right to claim workers’ compensation benefits, as well as your employer’s legal responsibilities. After you suffer a work-related injury, there are several steps you need to take to ensure your eligibility for benefits is not at risk.
The law requires you to report your injury to your employer no later than 30 days from the incident. This accident report will include various details, such as the date of the injury, where it occurred, and the type of injury you have sustained. Your employer is also legally obligated to report your injury to their workers’ compensation insurance carrier or third-party administrator within five days from the date you are injured, or five days from when your employer learns of your injury.
Your employer should provide you with a list of approved medical providers covered by its workers’ compensation insurance company so you can start getting medical treatment. After that, the insurance carrier has 30 days to inform the Division of Workers’ Compensation about your injury. You should not have to pay for the cost of medical care for a work-related injury, and your employer should ensure that you are getting the proper treatment.
Workers’ compensation benefits can pay both for the cost of ongoing medical care and treatment associated with your work-related injury, as well as help you recoup some of your lost income due to your injury. These benefits can pay for situations where you suffer a:
Survivors of workers who have suffered fatal harm from a work injury can also claim benefits from the decedent’s former employer.
A seemingly minor mistake on your formal accident report or other claim paperwork could result in a denial of workers’ compensation benefits in St. Louis. Even if you do everything right, the system is not set up to favor injured workers, but instead to protect the bottom line of employer’s insurance companies.
You deserve to have a reliable lawyer handling your case from day one. The experienced attorneys at OnderLaw know how to cut through the tactics that insurance companies use to prevent full and fair workers’ compensation payouts while seeking maximum recovery of benefits for our clients. Give our office a call today to speak with a lawyer in a confidential consultation and find out what may be possible for your individual workers’ compensation case.
