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Hurt While Working at a Correctional Facility?  Call Our NYC Corrections Officer Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for Help

Workplace injuries and illnesses can occur in any line of work, especially as a correctional officer.  This is one of New York City’s most dangerous jobs, but it is also one of the most important to keep us safe.  Unfortunately, your job may not always be safe.  Personal injuries while working are common, whether from incidents or normal hazards such as a slip and fall, back injury from lifting, or other accidents.  Other times workplace-related illnesses such as from asbestos or toxic mold could also cause serious and debilitating injury, disability, and losses for a correctional officer.  But not only is the correctional officer harmed, but also his or her entire family.  If you or a loved one were seriously injured while working at a correctional facility in NYC, call our New York corrections officer workers compensation lawyer to learn how our experienced workers’ comp law firm can help you.

Here at O’Connor Law, our compassionate and experienced team can help victims and their families recover the compensation they not only deserve, but need to continue to make ends meet after a workplace accident or illness affects them.  We offer personalized attention and free consultations, meeting with you to hear about your claim and determine what legal recourse you may have under New York law.  Contact us to learn more about how we can fight for the compensation you so rightly deserve.

New York correctional officer workers compensation

What Can Our Workers’ Compensation Firm Can Do For You

After you have suffered injuries while working at a correctional facility in New York City, often times the last thing that is on your mind is completing paperwork and navigating the legalese that is the WC claim system.  This is particularly true if you have been severely injured, need surgery, or are suffering from a devastating illness.

With our compassionate workers’ comp law firm, you can focus on your recovery while we can help do the following:

–    Give notice to your employer

–    Gather medical records and proof to support your claim

–    Submit a formal claim to the WC carrier

–    Advocate for your position

–    Ensure the medical examination by WC is fair and just

–    Retain a medical expert if the WC’s medical examination is unfair

–    Negotiate on your behalf

–    Represent you at a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ)

–    Handle an appeal in front of the Workers’ Compensation Board, if necessary

–    Seek your legal remedies in court, including filing an appeal at the Appellate Division, Third Department

–    Responding to questions, requests for proof, or other inquiries from the WC carrier or ALJ

–    Hiring other experts as necessary to properly value your economic, vocational, and other losses

–    Review a lump sum offer to settle and whether it is fair and in your best interests, and

–    Handle virtually any other issues that may arise with your WC claim arising from injuries or illness from working at a correctional facility.

What is Workers’ Comp in New York?

Workers’ compensation is an important type of insurance that nearly all employers are obligated to carry. This is a no-fault benefits system that provides for wage replacement and medical bill reimbursement, as well as some other types of compensation in special circumstances.

Because it is a “no-fault” system, an injured employee does not need to prove fault or who caused the accident resulting in personal injuries.  Rather, an employee just needs to establish that the injury or illness is related to his or her employment.  In return for this no-fault system, employees are not able to sue an employee in most instances—but there are rare exceptions.

What Does WC Cover?

New York City workers’ compensation offers NYC corrections officers hurt on the job or due to their employment may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits which may cover the following:

–    Medical bills related to your injury or illness

–    Two-third of average weeks wages (up to a certain limit)

–    Travel expenses to and from health care appointments

–    Survivor benefits to family members in fatal accidents

–    Compensation for employees who suffer a permanent loss of function or disability

–    In some instances, retraining costs if an injured employee is unable to return to the same type of work, and

–    Other costs as may be appropriate.

What Injuries Qualify for New York Corrections Officer Workers’ Compensation?

New York’s workers’ compensation laws cover both workplace injuries and workplace-related illnesses.  Working at a correctional facility can expose corrections officers to both risks of personal injury.  There are many ways that this could happen, including the following:

–    Inmate assaults or attacks

–    Slip, trip, and fall accidents

–    Lifting, carrying, or loading accidents

–    Repetitive use injuries

–    Burn injuries from fires, hot water, or chemicals

–    Falling objects or debris

–    Exposure to asbestos

–    Falls from a height

–    Training injuries, including weapons training, firearms training, and other combat training

–    Fire suppression training, including exposure to cancer-causing foams and other chemicals

–    Toxic mold

–    Inhalation of hazardous or potentially dangerous substances

–    Exposure to narcotics, drugs, fentanyl, or other objects that may be smuggled into a correctional facility and could create exposure risks

–    Weightlifting or physical training, as required to maintain strength and shape, and

–    Other injury-causing hazards or injuries in a correctional facility that our NYC corrections officer workers’ compensation lawyer can help you recover.

Injuries and Illnesses That May Qualify for Correctional Officer Workers’ Compensation

There are many different kinds of personal injuries that a NYC corrections officer could suffer due to a work-related accident, incident, or hazardous condition.  The two types of personal injuries generally fall under the category as an injury or an illness.

Examples of NYC Corrections Officer Work-Related Injuries

There are many different potential types of personal injuries that may result in a WC claim for a NYC corrections officer.  Some of the most common personal injuries sustained due to an assault, fight, accident, or other job-related hazard include the following:

–    Shoulder injuries like SLAP tears, rotator cuff tears, biceps tears, and other shoulder injuries

–    Knee injuries like ACL, PCL, LCL, or MCL tears, meniscus tears, and other damage

–    Broken bones or fractured bones

–    Cuts, lacerations, and disfiguring injuries resulting in skin, tissue, muscle, and nerve damage

–    Neck injuries or back injuries

–    Head injuries

–    Brain injuries

–    Dislocated joints or separated joints

–    Organ injuries

–    Partial blindness or total blindness

–    Nerve injuries

–    Fall injuries

–    Torn muscles or tendons

–    Amputations or loss of a limb, and

–    Other serious and catastrophic personal injuries that our New York corrections officer workers’ compensation lawyers may be able to obtain for you.

Examples of NYC Correctional Officer Work-Related Illnesses

Although most people believe a WC claim for a corrections officer will be related to personal injuries from an inmate fight, that is not the case.  There are many other hazards in a correctional facility that could cause serious illnesses, including life-threatening ones.  Some of the most common causes of work-related illnesses include the following:

–    Toxic mold exposure

–    Cleaning chemical inhalation and exposure

–    Exposure to cancer-causing fire suppressant foams and fire control agents (in training and in real incidents)

–    Asbestos exposure

–    Lead paint exposure

–    TB and other contagious disease exposure

–    HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis, and other viral exposures that could be permanent and life-threatening, and

–    Other serious illnesses that could be caused by your employment at a correctional facility.

Are You an NYC Corrections Officer Injured on the Job?  Call Our NYC Corrections Officer Workers’ Compensation Lawyers for Help

Working at a correctional facility is one of the most dangerous but one of the most important jobs here in New York State and in New York City.  Workers’ compensation benefits are meant to recognize that risk and fairly compensation you for your losses while you are recovering.  While this system works most of the time, sometimes injured workers are not fairly compensated, or may even be denied, when their claim should have been overwhelmingly approved and compensated higher.

If you or a loved one was injured, or if a loved one was wrongfully killed, at a correctional facility in New York City, call our New York corrections officer workers’ compensation lawyers at O’Connor Law to learn how we can help fight to protect your rights to WC benefits.  We offer FREE case evaluations and we only get paid a percentage of what we recover for you—and only after we recover it.  Call toll free today or send us a private message through our “Contact Us” box available here.

 

Experience

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.

Reputation

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.

Commitment

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.

Results

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.

Protecting New Yorkers is what we do.

Our Process

Discuss your case (for free)

  • Meet briefly to learn more
  • Discuss your injuries or disability
  • Determine if we can help

We file your claim

  • Pay nothing upfront
  • No fee until you win
  • Feel confident with a legal team in your corner

We deal with the insurance company

  • We respond to requests and negotiate on your behalf
  • If they don’t play ball, we fight it out in court

You get the outcome you deserve

  • Get the compensation you’re entitled to
  • Ditch the stress
  • Get back to normal and living your life
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