When you sustain an injury while you’re at work, a few options may occur to you. The first course of action you may think about is filing for workers’ compensation. While this may apply to your accident, there may be other ways for you to get the compensation you deserve. You may be able to file a work injury claim if negligence of a third-party was involved. These kinds of cases can be complicated and having a Morris work injury lawyer at your side will help you make sure you’re protecting your best interests.
Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP understands how people depend on their job to support themselves and their family. When an injury prevents you from working, you may be worrying about how you’re going to make ends meet. The pressure of providing for a family while also trying to pay for your medical bills can seem like too much to handle at once—which is where we can help.
Our lawyers can help you understand the difference between a workers’ compensation claim and a work injury/third-party claim and advise you on how to proceed with your claim to give you the best chance of getting full and fair compensation for your injuries. Let’s learn more about the types of work injuries that employees can get.
What Kinds of Work Injuries Can Occur?
Some industries have more dangers than others. When a third-party acts negligently, the safety of other people working with them is put at risk. The following industries can easily cause injuries when one person acts negligently:
- Food
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
- Construction
Negligence can occur when individuals working on a work premises don’t handle spills or keep the work area free of obstacles that could put individuals who work there in danger of falling.
When workers are around heavy equipment that a third-party has on the premises, they need to be sure those operating the equipment have proper training so the equipment is used safely when in close proximity to others. When a third-party comes onto the premises in a manufacturing facility or on a construction site, they need to be sure they use the tools and machines properly and they are clear of people who work in the plant when utilizing the machines or tools before they’re asked to use them. When an inexperienced person is in charge of complicated equipment, they could easily harm themselves or others.
The injuries from these kinds of accidents can cause a lot of pain and severely affect the worker’s life. It’s possible for someone to suffer a traumatic brain injury, damage their spinal cord or break bones, and sometimes accidental amputation can occur.
After You Sustain Work Injuries
You will likely need medical treatment and may be looking at a long recovery period. During this time, you may not be able to work. In more serious cases, you may lose the ability to do your job or perform gainful work forever.
Medical costs can add up and future expenses for continued medical care may be necessary. When you’re trying to focus on your recovery, you’re not going to be able to have peace of mind if you’re constantly worrying about money. This worry can also lead some people into making decisions based on finances rather than on their health.
If someone has minor injuries like sprains, they may decide to go back to work because of the financial stress and they’ll just work with the injury. However, if is someone goes back before they’re healed, they run the risk of reinjuring themselves. They’ll need more treatment and their recovery time will extend. Sometimes, returning to work can worsen the injury and it may cause chronic problems for the rest of the person’s life. Compensation will likely not cover these costs because they weren’t a result of the accident.
Your compensation can give you the relief you need so you’ll be able to heal. This is why it’s imperative to have the aid of a Morris work injury lawyer.
Help with Your Work Injury Claim in Illinois
Our attorneys can help you navigate this process so you understand what information you need to provide and how you could benefit from a third-party claim. We know who needs to get the paperwork and the timeframe in which they need to receive it. You won’t have to worry about missing deadlines or sending important documents to the wrong place.
While we can help you strengthen your claim, there are a few items you could do that will help your claim as well. After the accident, report it to the person in charge as soon as possible and write down everything you remember of the incident. If you can, take photographs of the scene of the accident. This may indicate what happened and what led to your injuries, especially when a third-party is involved.
Then, you need to seek medical attention. A doctor will be able to figure out what treatment is necessary. Giving copies of your medical records to your attorney will help them understand what happened to you. They’ll also see what the injuries have cost you and use that to calculate the economic damages of the accident.
Your Morris work injury attorney can also advise you on what to avoid. You shouldn’t make any official statements to the insurance company or allow them to record phone calls. Experience shows insurance companies will try to use any minor detail to try to give you less compensation than you deserve. They’re not going to look out for your best interests, but your attorney can advise you and deal with the insurance company so you don’t say something that compromises your claim.
The faster you get in touch with a Morris lawyer, the sooner you’ll be on the path to getting a fair settlement for your third-party work injury. We’re ready to fight for your rights.
