Every year, millions of Americans get hurt at work. These injuries can be small or very serious. In 2013, over three million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported in the U.S.
These injuries happen for many reasons. They can be caused by falls, repetitive actions, or car accidents. Getting hurt at work can affect your health, money, and job future.
Key Takeaways
- Millions of workplace injuries occur annually in the United States.
- Common workplace injuries include falls, repetitive motion injuries, and motor vehicle accidents.
- Workplace injuries can have significant consequences on an individual’s health and financial stability.
- Understanding workers’ compensation and legal rights is critical for employees.
- Seeking professional help can aid in navigating the complexities of workplace injury claims.
Immediate Steps After a Workplace Injury
If you’ve been injured on the job, knowing what to do first is key. It can help your recovery and any claims you might make.
First, tell your employer about the injury. This step is important for getting medical help and starting a workers’ compensation claim.
It’s important to tell your employer right away if you get hurt at work. Doing this quickly helps in a few ways:
- It makes sure you get medical help fast
- It helps document the accident for later
- It starts the workers’ compensation process
After you tell your employer, they need to help you get medical care. They might:
- Give you a list of doctors you can see
- Let you get the first medical treatment
- Pay for the medical costs from the injury
Knowing these steps and what your employer should do can make dealing with a workplace injury easier.
What Happens If You Hurt Yourself on the Job in AZ: The Workers’ Compensation Process
After a work accident, things can get complicated. But, the workers’ compensation process is here to help. It offers support to employees during tough times. If you get hurt at work, you might get benefits to help you heal and get back to work.
Workers’ compensation is a program run by each state. It helps employees who get hurt or sick because of their job. Each state has its own rules, but the main goal is the same. It’s to give financial help to those hurt on the job.
Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Workers’ compensation offers several important benefits:
- Medical care: This includes doctor visits, hospital stays, surgeries, and any other medical treatment necessary to treat the work-related injury or illness.
- Temporary disability benefits: These benefits are provided when an employee is unable to work for a temporary period due to their injury or illness.
- Permanent disability benefits: If an injury or illness results in a permanent disability, employees may be eligible for benefits that compensate for their reduced earning capacity.
- Death benefits: In the tragic event that a work-related injury or illness results in death, workers’ compensation provides benefits to the deceased employee’s dependents.
To get workers’ compensation, you must have been hurt while working. This means the injury happened while you were doing your job or because of your work environment.
It’s important to understand the workers’ compensation process. This way, you can navigate it well and get the benefits you deserve. Knowing what to expect and how to get these benefits helps you manage your injury and focus on healing.
Legal Rights and Responsibilities After a Workplace Injury
Workers who get hurt on the job need to know their legal rights and duties. It’s key to understand these to deal with workers’ compensation and legal actions.
One main right is filing a workers’ compensation claim. This means telling the boss about the injury, getting medical help, and filing a claim. Workers’ compensation helps with medical bills and lost wages from work injuries.
Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Filing a claim has several steps:
- Tell the employer about the injury right away
- Get medical help and make sure the doctor is okayed by workers’ compensation
- File the claim with the right state or federal agency
Workers might also sue third parties for injuries. This is if the injury was from a product or service not from the employer.
Pursuing Third-Party Lawsuits
Third-party lawsuits can get more money than workers’ compensation. These lawsuits are complex and need to prove the third party was at fault. For example:
- Suing makers of faulty machines or equipment
- Claims against contractors or subcontractors who were careless
- Actions against property owners if the injury happened on their land
Understanding workers’ compensation and third-party lawsuits is important. Knowing your rights helps ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Conclusion
Dealing with a workplace injury can be tough and confusing. It’s important for workers to know their rights and what compensation they can get.
The workers’ compensation system helps with medical costs and lost wages due to work injuries. Workers should know their legal rights and duties to get through this process well.
Understanding what to do right after an injury, the workers’ compensation process, and your legal rights is key. This knowledge helps workers get the support they need during tough times. It also lets them make smart choices and find the right help when they need it.
Injured? Let Tobler Law Fight for You
At Tobler Law, we’re committed to protecting your rights and getting you the compensation you deserve. Whether it’s a car accident, personal injury, or wrongful death case — our Arizona legal team is here to help.
Contact us today for a free consultation. Speak to an attorney 24 hours a day.