Getting wounded is always unpleasant, but getting hurt at work can add to the complexity and difficulties of your injury. Work injuries may occur in any field, but they are particularly frequent in areas such as construction, where job requirements can harm worker safety.
When an employee gets hurt at work, certain protocols must be followed, as well as duties that both the company and the employee must perform for things to go well. Although the specifics of the regulations differ by state, some broad obligations apply throughout the country. You should speak to a Houston Personal Injury Attorney for more.
The rights of an injured worker
Not all employees know that there are regulations to safeguard them if they are hurt on the job. Most injured workers just want to recuperate as fast as possible and return to work. Workers, however, must understand how the law protects them when they are harmed; otherwise, they risk losing compensation that may help pay for medical expenses and other expenditures. The following are some of the rights that injured workers have.
- Filing a workers’ compensation claim
An employee can legally submit a claim for workers’ compensation payments as long as the company has workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation is a program (typically administered by the state) that provides financial compensation to employees injured to pay their medical expenses and lost income.
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault scheme, which implies that the worker’s entitlement to submit a claim is unaffected by the carelessness that caused the injury. It is an employee’s right to seek benefits via the workers’ compensation system if they are hurt on the job, and it is illegal for an employer to harass, threaten, or otherwise try to persuade an injured person not to seek workers’ compensation.
- Seeking medical assistance
A worker who is wounded is always entitled to medical attention. The worker should go to the emergency department if the injuries require immediate attention. Still, if they do not, the worker should carefully check the available workers’ compensation-approved doctors roster. In many jurisdictions, an injured worker is appointed a workers’ compensation agent who may help you find doctors who are local to where you reside.
You might also ask coworkers who have gone through this procedure. They might be able to recommend a medical specialist in your region. Employers may advise which doctors are appropriate under each state’s compensation scheme. Still, they should never try to persuade an injured employee that he does not require medical care or should not go to the doctor. This is a major crime extremely hazardous to the worker’s health.