Gay Friendly Workers Comp Lawyers
If you are hurt or injured at work, your family, livelihood and the life you currently enjoy may be permanently impacted. Workplace injuries are very common in all work environments such as clerical or administrative settings, manual labor intensive occupations, and health care facilities. Filing a workers compensation claim is very complex and should be done by our nationwide team of experienced LGBTQ friendly workers compensation lawyers.
Having an experienced workers compensation lawyer on your side will ensure that your claim is filed correctly, on time, and your rights are protected. Our LGBTQ friendly workers compensation lawyers are well versed in all states workers compensation law and how the system works. During the course of our legal careers they have handled all types of workers compensation claims including:
Repetitive stress injuries
Workplace slip and falls
Burn injuries
Machine and equipment accidents
Auto accidents
Fatal workplace accidents
If injured in the workplace you may be entitled to benefits such as:
Partial and total disability
Scarring and disfigurement
Permanent impairment
Medical expense coverage
Death and funeral benefits
Time is of the essence with filing a workers compensation claim no matter what state the injury took place in. Contact our California workers compensation lawyers today to discuss your case and how to protect your rights.
Our team of workers compensation lawyers handle workers compensation cases on a contingency fee basis meaning they charge no fee for work related injury claims unless they recover on your behalf.
Serving all 50 states including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Washington D.C., Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Workers Compensation Lawyers Helping You
Accidents and work injuries can occur in almost any workplace setting. These injuries may be related to repetitive activities such as typing, data entry, lifting and the like. On the other hand, the injury can be related to a single work incident such as slipping in the parking lot, slipping on a wet floor, falling on stairs, falling off a ladder, bending, lifting an object, being hit by a pipe or a box or even a vehicle. Certain work environments are inherently more likely to be the location of serious or even life threatening or fatal injuries, such as construction sites or other heavy labor employment. Injuries can also occur from the use of equipment and machinery. You should know your rights when injured in the scope of your employment. Our Maryland workers compensation lawyers are experienced with workman’s compensation issues and can help you protect your rights to have your medical bills paid and your lost wages covered while you are unable to work.
If you have been hurt or injured while performing a work related task contact our team of workers compensation lawyers. With many years experience handling all accidents occurring in a workplace setting they are well versed in Workman’s Compensation Law.
The Work Injury Claim Filing Process
As there are steps and legal processes associated with properly filing a Workers Compensation claim you should not attempt to file your claim yourself. Working with a skilled and experienced Delaware Work Accident Lawyer will make you feel at ease knowing that they will manage any and all legal and administrative aspects regarding filing your claim. If you file your claim yourself and do it incorrectly, or not within the allotted time frame your claim can be denied and you may disqualify yourself from receiving financial compensation, benefits and medical care. It is in your best interest to consult with our Pennsylvania workers compensation lawyers prior to attempting to file your own claim.
Workers Compensation Benefits
Laws in each state provide certain workers’ compensation protections and benefits. The benefits you are entitled to seek will depend on the nature and extent of your injuries.
Issues may include what types of medical care your physician prescribes, how long your recovery lasts, how seriously your injuries impair your ability to return to your place of employment or any other place of employment. Benefits that may be afforded to injured workers include:
Temporary Total Disability
Temporary Partial Disability
Medical Bills
Disfigurement
Permanency
Mileage Reimbursement For Medical Appointments
Commutation lump sum payments
There are certain protections that are not afforded by the workers compensation law. Pain and suffering benefits are usually not recoverable form your employer, but may be if a third party is involved in causing the injury. In addition, your job is not automatically protected by the fact that you have suffered a work injury. It is important to talk to one of our experienced worker’s compensation attorneys to find out what benefits you may be entitled to recover.
Undocumented Workers Workers Compensation Benefits
Undocumented immigrants make up 3.5% of the U.S. workforce. In California, undocumented immigrants make up 10% of the workforce. Every year, several undocumented workers suffer a work-related injury. Can undocumented workers receive workers’ compensation? It depends and our workers’ compensation lawyers will help you get the benefits and compensation you are entitled to.
Below is an overview of federal and state laws regarding workers’ compensation benefits for undocumented workers. Contact our undocumented workers workers compensation lawyers for a confidential consultation regarding your workers’ compensation claim. As an undocumented worker, you may be entitled to benefits. Read on to learn more about workers’ compensation benefits for undocumented workers.
Immigration Reform & Control Act
The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) is a federal law which requires employers to verify their employee’s eligibility to work in the U.S. Under federal law, it is illegal for undocumented immigrants to work in the U.S. Employers that violate IRCA can be heavily sanctioned. Employers can face up to $10,000 in sanctions for each unauthorized employee.
In the past, employers have tried to apply provisions of the IRCA to prohibit undocumented immigrant workers from obtaining workers’ compensation benefits. Employees have argued that since undocumented immigrants are not authorized to work in the U.S., state workers’ compensation laws do not protect them in the event of a work-related injury. Despite the federal prohibition on unauthorized workers, many state laws allow undocumented workers to receive workers’ compensation benefits. A state’s workers’ compensation statutes must reference undocumented worker’s ability to file for benefits. State statutes that allow undocumented immigrants to apply for workers’ compensation benefits include Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
Are You Eligible for Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
If you are an undocumented worker who is injured on the job, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. If you are eligible, you may receive compensation for lost work and medical bills. In exchange, you will forfeit your right to sue your employer for damages outside of the workers’ compensation system. The following requirements must be met in order for you obtain workers’ compensation benefits:
- Your employer must have workers’ compensation insurance. Not all employers are required to hold workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation coverage requirements vary from state-to-state. An employer’s responsibility to provide workers’ compensation coverage will depend on how many employees he/she has, the type of business, and the type of work the employees are performing. In some states, an employer must have three employees for it to be mandated to obtain workers’ compensation coverage. Some states only require one employee. Speak with an experienced attorney to find out if your employer is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance.
Stan is employed at Home Bargains USA. The company has 80 employees. The state in which Stan works requires employers who have more than 10 employees to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Stan is injured at work after suffering a slip-and-fall accident. Because Stan’s employer is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance, he can file a claim for benefits.
The federal government has a workers’ compensation system for federal employees. If you are a federal employee who was injured while working, contact us to learn more about federal employee workers’ compensation laws.
- You must be an employee. As mentioned above, if you are an unauthorized worker, the state workers’ compensation statute must apply to undocumented workers for you to seek benefits. Even if your state covers undocumented workers, if you are an independent contractor, you may not be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
Sarah is an undocumented delivery driver. The state in which she resides authorizes undocumented workers to receive workers’ compensation benefits. She works as an independent contractor for several companies. While under contract with Helpful USA, she was involved in a car accident. Because Sarah is an independent contractor, she may not be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Your injury or illness must be work related. Finally, your injury or illness must be work related to obtain workers’ compensation benefits. A work-related injury occurs when you perform a task for the benefit of your employer and you suffer an injury or illness as a result thereof.
Peter works in the warehouse of Home Improvement, Inc. While unloading boxes from the pick-up truck into the warehouse, he suffered a slip-and-fall injury due to uneven floors. As an authorized worker, if Peter’s employer is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance, he can file a claim for benefits because his injury occurred while he was performing a task for his employer.
Some states prohibit the applicability of workers’ compensation insurance coverage to certain workers. Though you may meet the requirements referenced above, you may not qualify for workers’ compensation insurance if you fall into one of the following work classifications:
- Domestic workers.
- Agricultural and farm workers.
- Leased or loaned workers.
- Casual or seasonal workers.
How to File for Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Do not let your undocumented status keep you from filing for workers’ compensation insurance. You may be entitled to benefits like documented workers. Depending on the nature of your injury, you employer may be liable in paying your medical expenses and lost wages. You must act quickly when filing for benefits. Any delays could bar you from recovery. You may receive temporary or permanent disability benefits. If your loved one passed away, you may be entitled to survivor benefits.
We invite you to contact our law office today to discuss your workers’ compensation eligibility. All discussions are in complete confidence. You do not have to worry about your immigration status being jeopardized when meeting with an attorney. We will fight to ensure you receive the benefits you deserve.
Most states require injured employees to report workplace injuries to their employers immediately. You can contact us prior to reporting the injury if you fear retaliation in doing so. Again, your employer may try and invoke IRCA to prohibit you from receiving compensation. Talk to an attorney so you are familiar with your rights. Each state has different workers’ compensation laws. You may be covered under your state law and occupation.
No matter what state you were injured in our team of workers compensation attorneys can help as they serve all 50 states and Washington D.C. including: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin & Wyoming.