Is Workers Compensation Enough?

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For many injured workers, the support given by the workers compensation program is enough to help them recover from their pain and suffering. Unfortunately, some conditions and financial situations can be so dire that you'll need more than a few weeks of rest and a percentage of your pay to return to anything close to a normal life. Before signing anything, consider these scenarios to understand why a workers compensation attorney is your best chance at a fair deal during a workplace injury issue.

When Disability Sneaks Up After Recovery

Not all injuries can be recovered from fully. Unfortunately, except for the most visibly dire injuries, the true extent of the injury may not be obvious during your recovery period.

Many workplace injuries are handled as routine bed-stay situations. The doctors attached to your recovery are there to monitor your improvement and figure out when you're ready to return to work, and some issues of lingering pain or discomfort may be dismissed as something that will get better over time.

What if it doesn't get better? If you're good enough to go back to work with just a bit of pain or mobility issues, you can spend weeks or even months just waiting for improvement. You may even accept the extended problem as normal, or get so used to the problem that you forget to complain about it.

All of this time waiting for improvement is time that you could be waiting on a disability decision. Disability claims and personal injury claims can take a lot of time, and it's a waste to wait it out just because you think your improvement is on the way. If you're asked to return to work and still suspect some problems with your condition, there's nothing wrong with filing a claim just in case to save some time. The worst anyone can do is say no, since it's not fraud and you have a reasonable chance of developing a disability.

Sneaky Paperwork In Compensation Agreements

In most states, workers compensation is a fairly straightforward agreement that you, your employer, and the state workers compensation officials will handle with a set of contracts and signatures. Unless you're a contract expert, it's easy for something to be slipped into the stack of papers that you shouldn't be signing.

The paperwork may be from a coworker, employer, or vendor who wants you to sign away your right to sue or otherwise pursue further compensation. This is a huge risk if you think your injury was caused by improper safety procedures or equipment failure.

Especially in the case of vendors, paperwork that absolves the company of any wrongdoing could leave you, your employer, and your coworker at risk of future incidents with no one held responsible. Workers compensation is fine if you can recover, but it's often a lot more helpful to sue a vendor than struggle through Social Security if their product caused your company's problem.

If you don't want your options locked to low income compensation systems such as Social Security Disability Insurance, extended coverage under workers compensation, or state welfare programs, contact a workers compensation attorney, like John V. Boshardy & Associates, P.C., to review all paperwork and explore your options.

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12 June 2017