If you have you been injured at work you can seek compensation. Depending on your work environment, it can be intimidating and even discouraged to file for worker’s compensation. However, you are likely entitled to compensation by law.
You may have to deal with your company’s insurance agents or even pressure from your employer. Getting support from an experienced attorney can make winning compensation easier for you while you recover.
Learn more about the common types of injuries, liabilities, and processes associated with work-related personal injury cases.
The Most Common Workplace Injuries
Workplace related injuries range from minor to catastrophic. Here are some of the most common injuries:
- Sprains
- Soreness
- Cuts
- Overexertion
- Slips, trips, and falls
What’s the First Step of a Workplace Injury Lawsuit?
If you’ve been injured at work, it’s not quite as simple as filing a lawsuit right after you get injured. Most companies have a worker’s compensation insurance plan that will help them provide for their injured employees.
Negligence
In the field of personal injury law, clients must be able to speak effectively and efficiently with their lawyers in order to organize the evidence and build a case. In terms of a workplace accident, you will need to prove that either your employer, or a co-worker was responsible for your injury due to negligent actions.
Gather Evidence
Whenever you are hurt in an accident, if you do not need emergency medical attention, you should focus on gathering evidence. Talk with witnesses at the scene of the accident to see if they will testify for you. You can also have them write down their account of the events.
For slip and fall injuries in the workplace, you may be required to fill out an incident report. If you sustain any injury at work, you should not hesitate to report it to your employer. If you hide your injury, you can lose benefits as well as potential compensation.
If the police need to be involved, make sure that they record your testimony of events. Take pictures of where it happened, and seek medical attention.
Even seeing a doctor after an accident is very important, because your medical provider will create records showing that you were hurt and that you sought medical treatment.
Your personal injury lawyer will also be able to help you look for any other kinds of evidence that you might need.
What about Worker’s Compensation?
Most work related accidents will fall under a work’s compensation agreement. If you do take worker’s compensation, you will forfeit your ability to sue your employer. Most employers pay for worker’s compensation insurance, and so, it may be one of the only ways that you can get compensation for your injury.
However, because worker’s compensation varies by state, you may be able to sue your employer. Here are a few situations where you can sue your employer:
- Sexual harassment cases
- Wrongful termination
- Gross negligence from employer
- Intentional harm from employer
- Worker’s compensation dial in bad faith
Get Support
Any kind of personal injury case can become complicated very quickly. Especially if an employer is involved. Large companies may have insurance policies and even lawyers to defend them from costly liability charges.
An experienced personal injury lawyer will know what to look for, and what forms and evidence is necessary to build a successful case.
Hire a Workplace Injury Lawyer in Cleveland, Ohio
Like any branch of The Cochran Firm, we pride ourselves in providing expert, professional, and aggressive legal counsel for our clients. Our founder, the late Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., dedicated his life to defending people from all walks of life. We carry that legacy with us every day in our legal practice.
We also specialize in wrongful death cases, car accident claims, and truck accident cases.
If you’re in the Cleveland area, come visit our office. We offer FREE consultations with no obligation. You can also schedule a consultation by phone or here on our website. Don’t hesitate, let’s get you the compensation you deserve.