What Do I Need To Do If I Am Injured At Work?

If you’ve been seriously hurt in a work-related accident, call 911 immediately.
After, contact an experienced workplace accident attorney such as Gallagher & Hagopian as quickly as possible. We will guide you through the entire post-accident process to obtain the justice you deserve and increase your chance of getting the maximum possible settlement.
Unfortunately, workers’ compensation settlements are not designed to compensate for pain and suffering, nor are they designed to cover lost work or reductions in a working capacity. Instead, they are generally intended to pay only for short-term medical expenses.

Should I Accept a Settlement?

Many clients confess that they are too afraid not to settle with the insurance company. The fear of losing their jobs, the bills left due to a reduction in their paycheck, and the feeling of not being as responsible or a failure to the family’s income becomes extraordinary factors to those with a strong work ethic.
Trusting a law firm that is seasoned and has dedicated their careers to personal injuries and worker compensation settlements for the best interest of the client makes a vast difference.

There are many benefits to obtaining a settlement and resolving a case once the injury has come to a resolution. However, suppose future medical treatment is required, or the settlement does not justify the injuries or the monetary obligation. In that case, we are prepared to go to trial on your behalf and are dedicated to keeping you abreast every step of the way.

Sadly, accepting a settlement from the insurance company generally means that you will be unable to seek any damages in the future. Even if you wanted to consider taking a workers comp settlement, unlike some states, Florida does not have a specific workers’ comp settlement chart. Thus, there are no set amounts for various injury types, leaving the insurance company and the accident victim to negotiate independently.

What If My Employer Threatens My Job?

All employers in the state of Florida are currently required to provide workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. Unfortunately, employers pressure employees to return to work and insinuate they may lose their job if they do not. Therefore, your physician must give the green light to return to work. Your physician may disagree with your employer, and their obligation is to provide your medical care. Gallagher & Hagopian advise you not to wait to get experienced legal help when you have been hurt in a workplace accident, especially if your employer pressures you to return to work. You may have a legal claim against them, especially if they disregard the assigned doctors’ instructions.

Who do I Call if I Do Not Agree or Care for My Doctor?

Under Florida law, your employer’s insurance company will require you to see a doctor it has chosen, usually within their contracted network of providers. If you are unhappy with your doctor, it is possible to request a change in physicians but keep in mind they too work for and with the same employer network. Gallagher & Hagopian know that some doctors responsible for treating your workman’s compensation medical care may believe you were not injured at work or your medical complaints are not valid. This can be very upsetting to victims of injuries from the workplace. If you feel that your medical needs are not being validated or your doctor isn’t giving proper care, you can get a second opinion. You will want to avoid telling the second doctor much about what the first doctor diagnosed you with or what has been said about your injuries. The idea of a second opinion is to have a “fresh” set of eyes. The bottom line is if you were injured at work and feel you are being treated inadequately by your workmans’ compensation doctor, you may need an attorney to intervene.

What Are Some of the Most Common Injuries on the Job?

Strains & Sprains:

According to the Safety & Health magazine, the most common workmans’ compensation injury is strains & sprains. This diagnosis makes up 30% of injuries.
When a muscle or a tendon is overstretched, it can result in a tear. Likewise, an injury involving a ligament or the bands of flexible tissue that hold bones together can not only be painful but could require surgery to repair.

Punctures & Cuts:

These types of injuries are common in a factory or warehouse environment. As a result, this type of injury requires an emergency room visit and can require stitches, resulting in being out of work for some time due to the need for physical therapy care to assist the muscles and tendons time to heal from the trauma. Additionally, in a medical environment, needle sticks are typical and run a very high risk of the employee being infected with HIV or Hepatitis C. If the employee becomes infected, the employer could be responsible for all future medical care.

Contusions:

A diagnosis of contusion is usually reserved for bruising deep within the bones, organs, or muscles. They are commonly severe, can result in medical intervention, and can be life-threatening.

Fractures:

When a bone is broken into two pieces, it is called a fracture. This usually is caused by a fall, impact injury, or a commercial vehicle accident.

Inflammation:

Repetitive motion can cause injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and back pain. These are usually a result of repetitive motion such as typing or continuous lifting or turning. These motions can consistently cause the muscle to become inflamed and require medical treatment to heal and time off work.

If You’ve Been Injured at Work, Call Gallagher and Hagopian Today

At Gallagher and Hagopian, we’re committed to putting your mind at ease. We’ve won over $100 million for our clients and are ready and waiting to help you get your life back on track.

We work hard to reduce your anxiety in an already stressful situation by fighting for your rights. We’ll analyze your case at no cost, and if we accept it, we’ll do everything in our power to get you the maximum possible compensation. Plus, we’ll file your insurance claim and take care of all the paperwork so that you can focus on healing.