WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Over 6% of Missouri workers suffered non-fatal on-the-job injuries in 2001. In 1992 work-related accidents caused 8,500 deaths and injured 3.3 million people. Under Missouri law if your employer has five or more employees, or if your employer is in the construction industry and has even one employee, they are required to have some form of workers’ compensation insurance to cover injured employees. A claim for compensation under the Missouri Workers’ Compensation statutes is like filing an insurance claim requesting benefits.Workers’ Compensation laws are designed to ensure that employees who are injured on-the-job receive medical treatment, payment for said medical treatment, weekly benefits while you are unable to work, and possibly weekly payments or a lump sum payment for partial or total disability resulting from a work-related injury.
Work-related injuries typically covered under Missouri workers’ compensation laws include:
• physical injuries including broken bones, sprains, muscle strains, etc.• carpal tunnel/repetitive trauma injuries
• loss of hearing or vision
• occupational diseases, including work-related pulmonary conditions
• loss of use of limbs
• work-induced heart attack or stroke
If you have been injured while on the job, the first thing you should do is report your injury to your employer. If you need to see a doctor, your employer has the right to select a treating physician, and therefore it is important that you notify your employer of your desire to see a doctor. It is also important that you notify your employer and request to see a doctor of their choosing, because if you go to your own doctor rather than using your employer’s treating doctor, your employer may not have to pay for your own doctor’s bills.
If you or someone you know has been injured on the job, please call Gregg Groves or Randy Reichard at 417-866-7777 or toll free 1-800-879-2370, or fill out the information on the contact us page.
The initial consultation for a workers compensation accident is free of charge and if we agree to handle your case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds, although client may be responsible for costs and expenses. In many cases a claim for compensation must be filed before a certain time, known as the statute of limitations, so please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.
