Most workers in Massachusetts probably don’t give much daily thought to safety at work. After all, most modern workplaces are generally designed with safety in mind, and agencies such as OSHA work hard to establish standards for worker safety in all industries. Still, workplace injuries do happen, and when they do, securing legal help from an experienced attorney can make a significant difference.
Why would someone who has been injured on the job need a workers’ compensation attorney? Technically, one does not need a lawyer to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. However, whether workers have suffered repetitive stress injuries, back injury or even burns, there can be many obstacles standing in the way of obtaining benefits. An experienced workers’ comp attorney can overcome these obstacles while allowing the injured party better peace of mind.
In many instances, receiving workers’ compensation benefits means that one can no longer file a lawsuit against their employer over the injury. Still, an attorney can be needed for many things. First, one’s employer may not be cooperative in the situation, and may try to downplay the incident or convince an injured worker not to seek benefits. An injured worker is also likely to have questions about whether or not their injury is covered under workers’ comp, as well as how much in benefits he or she is likely to receive. Moreover, simply beginning the worker’ comp process can be confusing, especially considering the person filing is likely to be ailing and dealing with physical pain and medical bills at the time.
Workers’ compensation benefits can cover lost wages due to an accident at work, as well as the high costs of medical treatment. Without these benefits, an injured worker’s financial situation can deteriorate rapidly through no fault of their own. It can pay to be proactive after a workplace injury; consulting with an attorney can help a party initiate a claim and recover much-needed benefits.
