Being injured at work impacts more than just you as an employee; it has repercussions for family and for the employer too. In 2014 there were over 4,600 deaths as a result of workplace accidents, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a rise of 2% over the previous year. Mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and construction were the industries with the highest number of fatalities on the job. More than 3 million non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported in 2013 among private industry employers, marking an incidence rate of 3.3 cases per 100 equivalent full-time worker. After such an injury it can often be difficult to know what to do; worker compensation lawyers can help an employee navigate the often murky and confusing waters of workers compensation.
Almost 126 million employees were covered by state and federal workers’ compensation laws in 2011; those laws require that all medical costs for injured workers are paid and there are cash benefits for lost work time, following a waiting period of three to seven days. The total benefit payments in 2011 were more than $60.2 million in workers compensation, rising 3.4% over the 2010 figure. Most compensation payouts (70%) are wages and salaries, while just wonder a third is made up of benefits.
Injuries such as the more than 320,000 sprains, strains and tears or the nearly 230,000 slip, trip and falls in 2013 result in missed days of work and as a result often lost wages. In fact, Americans — whether male or female — lose about 8 days every year to such workplace injuries. Workers compensation attorneys can ensure that these missed days and the injuries that caused them do not cost employees unduly and that they are fairly and promptly compensated.
Compensation under workers compensation legislation may include weekly payments in lieu of wages, compensation for past and future economic loss, cover of medical costs, and payouts to dependents of workers killed in the line of employment. Worker compensation lawyers can help you negotiate the terms of the compensation and advise on any benefits set out at the start of employment.This can put your mind at rest and ensure that you and your family are adequately taken care of in the event of injury or even death.