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If you have been injured on the job, it can profoundly affect your life, your ability to earn, and your ability to support your family. In other words, an injury at work can be life-altering. If you have been injured in an accident at work, you shouldn’t wait to seek the professional legal guidance of an experienced New York workers’ compensation lawyer.
The good news is that if you are injured while on the job in New York – and you work for a NY employer who carries workers’ compensation coverage, which nearly every employer is required by law to do – then you are eligible for workers’ compensation if you are injured in a workplace accident. Further, your eligibility does not end with injuries sustained on the job – you’re also covered if you acquire a work-related illness over time. Examples include:
Generally, if you suffer a work-related injury or illness, you are covered by workers’ compensation.
Workers’ compensation insurance provides coverage that is intended to compensate employees who suffer workplace injuries or illnesses with wage replacement at a specific percentage of current earnings and the cost of necessary medical expenses. Workers’ compensation law in New York – and throughout the nation – is based on balancing the protections provided to covered employees and to the employers who pay for their coverage. Consider the following:
In other words, both sides give up something in exchange for a sure thing.
Some of the most common workers’ compensation claims fall into the following basic categories:
If you have an accident at work claim, don’t wait to seek the legal guidance of a reputable NY workers’ compensation law firm.
The list of injuries you can sustain on the job is nearly endless, but there are several categories that are commonly sustained.
The Mayo Clinic reports that all the following types of back injuries can be caused by conditions at work:
You can also sustain a back injury, such as a spinal cord injury, in a work-related accident. Spinal cord injuries are closely associated with serious losses related to the range of motion and can lead to chronic pain. If the spinal cord is severed, life-altering paralysis is the result.
Neck injuries can also be the result of sudden trauma caused by an accident or repetitive physical stress on the job. Even relatively minor neck injuries can prove exceptionally difficult to overcome. Soft tissue injuries to the neck, which are commonly called whiplash, are the most common type of neck injury associated with vehicle accidents on the job.
A herniated disc is another common work-related neck injury, and it’s caused when the soft cushions between the discs in your neck break down, move, or are displaced – resulting in the bones pressing on either nerves or nerve roots. The pain associated with a serious herniated disc injury can be debilitating.
Shoulder injuries on the job are often caused by repetitive motion or strain, heavy lifting, and joint trauma and can include all the following:
Shoulder injuries are often quite painful and can significantly interfere with your ability to move freely.
Knee injuries are closely associated with considerable time lost on the job. Early diagnosis and treatment, however, can help significantly reduce your overall losses. Those most susceptible to knee injuries caused by degeneration of the joint due to heavy work include construction workers, those engaged in other skilled trades, nurses, and more.
If you are injured on the job in New York and are cleared for benefits, workers’ compensation, all the following apply:
Workers’ compensation also addresses your necessary medical expenses – as they relate to injuries you’ve incurred on the job. However, workers’ compensation will not necessarily cover treatment provided by your own doctor. Instead, you’ll need to seek the medical care of a healthcare provider who is authorized by the Workers’ Compensation Board. Your employer will likely direct you regarding where to seek the medical services you require.
If you have been injured on the job, there are specific steps that you should take to help protect your health and well-being and to help protect your workers’ compensation claim, including consultation with an experienced work injury lawyer.
The first order of business if you have been injured on the job is seeking the medical care that you require – even if you don’t believe that the injuries you’ve sustained are serious. The fact is that the adrenaline and shock associated with being injured on the job can mask your symptoms and pain, and very serious injuries can be slow to develop symptoms. Because early diagnosis and improved prognosis go hand in hand, seeking medical attention sooner rather than later is in your best interest. Following your doctor’s instructions and advice is not only the right thing to do for your health and well-being but also demonstrates that you take your injuries as seriously as you expect the workers’ compensation insurance provider to take them.
As soon as you can, you should notify your supervisor, boss, or employer about the injuries you sustained on the job. Doing so helps to establish that your injuries are job-related and kicks off the workers’ compensation process.
Reach out to a skilled workers’ comp attorney as soon after the injury-causing accident as you can. Although the workers’ compensation insurance company is paid specifically to recover your losses, it is in the business of turning a profit, and you can expect it to do what it can to keep your settlement as low as possible. Having a dedicated work accident lawyer on your side can help in all the following ways:
It is important to remember that – during a claim’s first pass through workers’ compensation – denials are common. You can count on the other side having an arsenal of legal professionals in their corner, and you shouldn’t proceed without legal representation of your own.
If you have been injured on the job, you face a difficult journey forward toward recovery that includes mounting medical expenses and diminished pay. The only way to address your losses head-on is with the professional legal guidance of a savvy NY work injury lawyer on your side. Our accomplished workers’ compensation attorneys proudly dedicate their practice to helping clients who have been injured on the job obtain the compensation to which they are entitled – and that they need to make their most complete recoveries. We are on your side and standing by to help, so please do not wait to contact or call us for more information today.
Our legal team has a detailed knowledge of New York workers’ compensation and Social Security disability law, including a unique perspective gained from our founder’s past experience serving as defense counsel for dozens of workers’ compensation insurance firms. You can rest easy knowing that we have the skills necessary to handle your claim.
Our firm’s reputation is unparalleled throughout the Big Apple. When you choose to work with us, you’re getting the benefit of respected representation from one of the leading workers’ compensation and Social Security disability firms in the state.
At O’Connor Law, we understand how vital our work is to your future. We’re committed to fighting for your right to benefits while providing you with the support you need to navigate this difficult time in your life. You will always feel like you are our top priority.
We’re compassionate and empathetic, but far from being a pushover. We’re an iron fist in a velvet glove and will aggressively advocate for your interests—even if that means litigation is necessary to protect your right to benefits.
Mary Ellen O’Connor took my case because she cares about those who need professional attorneys to help with Workman’s Comp. As a retired Broadway performer, I struggled with many injuries that still hinder my quality of life. She and her team are fabulous to ...
Omg, the best experience I have had with a firm. From the first time I called, very friendly staff. Vanessa Noel was the best… Always called me to remind me what I had to do, always seemed, and seems; truly concerned about me, and my case. Kept me prepared and ...
The legal services of O'Connor Law PLLC exceeded my expectations. Vanessa Noel and John Talbot were very professional and kept in daily contact with me while my court appearance approached. There were no surprises or delays, and I highly recommended them ...
I have had a ridiculous amount of questions regarding my case, and EVERY time I have been met with professionalism, courtesy, and kindness. My previous law firm stopped responding and did not return my calls or emails for months at a time, so I found ...
My experience with the O'Connor Law Firm has been excellent. All the attorneys I have worked with have been very helpful. They also have the best paralegals who are also very professional and helpful. I would definitely highly recommend this firm. Any issues I may have ...
The legal services of O'Connor Law PLLC exceeded my expectations. Vanessa Noel and John Talbot were very professional and kept in daily contact with me while my court appearance approached. There were no surprises or delays, and I highly recommended them ...
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Get back to normal and living your life You are injured, off the job, and watching medical bills mount, and if you are hesitant to add the expense of a workers’ compensation attorney to the mix, no one can blame you. Fortunately, most reputable workers’ compensation law firms work on what is called contingency, meaning that their pay is contingent upon – or based upon – the compensation you ultimately receive. At that point, your attorney will receive a prearranged percentage of your settlement, but if your claim ultimately proves unsuccessful, you won’t owe anything. In other words, your workers’ compensation lawyer – not you – takes on the financial risk.
If you have an employer and were injured on the job in New York, you are almost certainly covered by workers’ compensation insurance. However, obtaining the compensation to which you are entitled is not going to be an easy or straightforward process. You can count on the workers’ comp insurance company doing what it can to keep your settlement as low as it can, and you should have professional legal counsel on your side to help you combat its efforts.
If you’ve been injured at work, there are several steps that you should take to help you protect both your health and your workers’ compensation claim, including:
