Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

The workers’ compensation process is complex, and can be very confusing if you’ve never filed a claim before. Filing a claim without a knowledgeable workers’ compensation attorney to guide you leaves you more likely to be denied due to errors or technicalities. In addition, you may miss important details or leave out expenses that you should receive compensation for. A workers’ comp lawyer is necessary to help you get the full benefits you need to recover from your workplace injury.

According to The Travelers Companies Injury Impact Report, the most common cause of workplace injury is due to material handling accidents, especially in manufacturing and retail industries. In fact, material handling accidents make up a whopping 32% of total workers’ compensation claims. Slips, trips and falls take the second spot, making up 16% of claims, with object collisions rounding out the top three at 10%. Other common accidents include those involving tools (7%) and traumas occurring over time, for example when a part of the body is injured by overuse or strain (4 percent).

Injuries that qualify for workers’ compensation benefits can include everything from sprains, lacerations and fractures to burns, slips and falls. In addition, transportation accidents, contact injuries and workplace violence are all common situations that call for workers’ compensation claims. Some illnesses may also be covered if they are caused by exposure to materials or equipment in the workplace. If you have been injured at work, reach out to the workers’ compensation lawyers at MMRBH; we can help determine if you have a case.

The breadth of benefits received from a workers’ compensation claim will depend on the scope of injury(s) received. Typically, these benefits can be broken down into three categories:

Disability Benefits – This is the compensation you receive due to loss of income. Typically, this will not cover your wages in full — most receive around ⅔ of their average weekly earnings.

Medical Benefits – Your employer’s insurance agency should cover all medical expenses, including ambulance bills, treatment & care, prescriptions & medication, mental and physical therapy, co-pays and any other injury-related medical expenses you may encounter in the future.

Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits – These benefits are only available if you have been permanently injured to an extent that you can no longer continue in your current line of work. This can include payments to go back to school or receive additional training in order to re-enter the workforce.

In addition to the above benefits, other benefits may apply depending on your unique circumstances. This can include compensation due to catastrophic injury, death or dismemberment, for example. Your workers’ compensation attorney will work with the insurance agency to ensure you receive all of the benefits you’re owed.

In Louisiana, the law generally requires that your report your injury to an employer within 30 days of the accident in order to even qualify for the claim. This report is necessary to show evidence of the issue and will be used to start the claims process. From there, you typically have one year from the date of the accident to file for disability and medical benefits. However, it is almost always advisable to report your injury to your employer as soon as it occurs, or as soon as you become aware of it.

Like many other personal injury matters, there are numerous variances and caveats which will affect these timeframes. That’s why it’s important to reach out to a workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss the deadline to file for your benefits.