Workplace accidents can have devastating consequences for injured workers. If you were injured at the job, your immediate concern should be about informing the supervisor, or manager. Get medical help immediately, and let the doctor know that it was a workplace accident injury. The next step is to consult a Virginia work injury lawyer, to know how you can file a claim to get benefits of Workers’ Compensation Insurance. In Virginia, all employers are required to carry Workers’ Compensation Insurance, and in return, they get an immunity, where injured workers cannot sue them for the accident. Here are some more things to know about Workers’ Compensation System in the state.
Knowing Workers’ Compensation Insurance
For the unversed, Workers’ Compensation Insurance is a ‘no-fault’ insurance. You don’t have to blame your employer, or a co-worker, to claim compensation for your injuries and losses. In other words, there is no need to prove fault. However, if the accident happened because of your own fault, things will change, and you may not be able to recover anything. To successfully get a settlement through Workers’ Compensation Insurance, you have to prove two things –
- You were injured
- The injury happened in course of your employment
What benefits can you recover?
Under the Workers’ Compensation System of Virginia, you can recover two types of benefits – medical and lost wages. If you have incurred expenses for your treatment and care, your claim should cover for that. You can also recover a part of your lost wages. In some cases, an injured worker can get additional disability benefits. If such a workplace accident leads to the death of a worker, the spouse (or minor children) can file a claim to seek death benefits.
Is it mandatory to hire a work injury lawyer?
While you have your rights as an injured worker and can claim workers’ compensation benefits, but in the real world, things are often different. Insurance companies often adhere to many tactics to reduce what they pay, and if you don’t complete the necessary formalities, your claim can be denied too. It is wise and prudent to hire a work injury lawyer, so that you know the worth of your claim and get the best possible settlement. Your attorney is not merely key to filing the claim and handling paperwork, but they can investigate the matter and prove things, to get a fair compensation.
Just for negotiating the workers’ compensation settlement, you need to get in touch with an attorney.
