TULSA ON-THE-JOB & WORK-RELATED INJURY ATTORNEY
By law Oklahoma employers must provide their workers with a safe workplace as well as workers’ compensation coverage in the event of a work-related injury. The laws regulating workplace safety are strict and meant to help prevent many common workplace accidents, including electrical and chemical burns, blunt force trauma, falls, lifting injuries, repetitive trauma and other injuries. However, even when employers are very well-intentioned, product defects, third-party negligence or even human error can lead to injuries that leave its workers with permanent injuries and considerable medical bills. Most injured workers have at least a general understanding that Oklahoma workers’ compensation benefits have been crafted to provide them with compensation and medical benefits without regard to fault either on the part of the employer, a co-employee or even the injured worker. However, depending on the circumstances of any given case, benefits and compensation in addition to Oklahoma worker’s compensation benefits may be available as well, which could greatly increase a worker’s recovery following a single on-the-job injury.
Workers compensation is generally regarded as the “exclusive remedy” for workers who are covered by the act. Considering this, any worker who by definition, job classification or who is not otherwise covered by the workers’ compensation act is entitled to bring a civil action against his or her employer injured as a result of the employer’s negligence. Furthermore, the workers’ compensation act only applies to accidental injuries—hence, any employee injured on his job by an intentional act committed by his employer or one of his or her co-employees can bring a civil action against his or her employer, even if they have received workers’ compensation benefits. Please note that the term “intentional” when applied to an employer’s actions has been broadly defined to include many types of activities. Additionally, if an injured worker has been injured by the negligence or carelessness of someone other than his or her employer or a co-employee, in addition to receiving workers’ compensation benefits, the injured worker may maintain a separate civil action against the person responsible for his or her injury. Finally, if an injured workers’ employer fails to maintain workers’ compensation insurance coverage under circumstances where it was required to do so, the injured employee may elect to maintain an action against the offending employer for either workers’ compensation or file a civil action against the employer, the latter of which could greatly expand the remedies and damages available to the injured worker.
When many Tulsa workers are injured for the first time, they assume that workers’ compensation coverage will provide them with assistance. After all, if you are injured at work, you are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits that are meant to cover lost income, medical bills, and other costs. However, many workers find that insurance providers are not very willing to provide full benefits. In some cases, workers injured on the job face a struggle to get any workers’ compensation benefits at all.
Due to worries about workers’ compensation fraud, many insurance providers offering workers’ compensation coverage to employers have tightened their regulations. As a result, many genuinely injured workers have a hard time claiming the benefits that are rightfully theirs. In addition, some insurance providers seek to provide the lowest possible benefits for the shortest amount of time in order to keep profits high and in order to keep shareholders happy.
All insurance providers have highly trained attorneys. If you are negotiating with an insurance provider – and their legal team – you will want to have a qualified Tulsa personal injury attorney by your side. A Tulsa personal injury lawyer can help you appeal if your benefits have been denied and can help you negotiate for the full benefits you are entitled to. Perhaps most importantly, good Tulsa personal injury legal counsel can help guide you through the compensation process step by step and can help you understand all your legal options.
Workplace injuries can be devastating. In addition to financial uncertainty caused by lost wages, many workers also face worries about permanent injuries. Recovery times for workplace injuries can be very lengthy and expensive – something that few insurance providers consider. If you need rehabilitative treatment or face large medical bills, a good Tulsa personal injury attorney can help you at least get the full financial benefits of your workers’ compensation insurance. As a worker, you have paid money for workers’ compensation coverage. Let the Tulsa personal injury team at The As
In addition to on-the-job accidents & work-related injuries THE ASH LAW FIRM attorney handles workers’ compensation cases of all types, and serves the entire state of Oklahoma including the following areas: Adair, Arkoma, Bartlesville, Beggs, Bixby, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Claremore, Coweta, Cushing, Drumright, Eufaula, Glenpool, Henryetta, Jay, Jenks, Ketchum, Langley, Locust Grove, McAlester, Miami, Morris, Mounds, Muskogee, Nowata, Okmulgee, Owasso, Pawnee, Poteau, Pryor, Sallisaw, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Shawnee, Skiatook, Sperry, Stillwater, Tahlequah, Tulsa, Vinita and Wagoner.