Everything You Need to Know About Worker’s Compensation in Baton Rouge

Hurt on the job? Recently found out you’re dealing with a cumulative disease thanks to your place of employment? It’s time to discuss with your employer about worker’s compensation benefits.

If this is your first time experiencing harm or an injury on the job, you may be unaware of your rights or what the procedures are. Like everything, worker’s comp has specific regulations employees and employers must follow.

Here is everything you need to know about worker’s compensation in Baton Rouge, and what you can expect.

How Worker’s Compensation Benefits Work

Whenever you experience an injury on the job whether it’s physical or internal, you need to report it to your employer’s HR representative immediately.

Worker’s compensation rules in Louisiana state that an employee has at least until a year after the date of the accident to file a report, but what about internal injuries that are harder to locate?

The best rule of thumb, in this case, is to file a report as soon as you visit the doctor and they confirm the injury stems from work. That’s why there is a year-long timeline.

If you do not report your injury within this time frame, you will likely not be able to file a claim or receive any benefits.

The kind of benefits you can receive from worker’s compensation can vary depending on your job and the kind of benefits they give. Most businesses have benefits that include:

  • Coverage of medical bills or ongoing care
  • Compensation for time off work
  • Disability benefits
  • Funeral benefits

Your HR rep should discuss with you how your company’s worker’s compensation benefits work after you fill out the necessary paperwork and turn it in. After your paperwork is given back to HR, it then undergoes the reviewing process until it’s confirmed or denied.

If your claim is denied or you are unhappy with the offer your employer comes back with, think about hiring a lawyer to dispute the claim.

How Much You Can Expect in Benefits

There is no set-in-stone amount that you could receive in benefits since it will vary depending on your claim. It depends on the situation you’re in and how much your employer approves for benefits when they look over your claim.

When to Hire a Lawyer

There is a chance that your employer may offer you a lump sum, but that means you will have to opt out of any benefits. While the lump sum of many may look nice on paper, you should really consider your predicament and future needs before you accept.

There’s nothing better you can do for your case than to hire a Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer. Legal representatives can be hired for a multitude of purposes in a worker’s compensation claim.

If everything works smoothly, there really isn’t a need to hire a lawyer, but having their eyes and legal knowledge to review your offer can be beneficial, especially if it’s discovered that your employee is not giving you as much as they should.

Attorney’s have expert knowledge of workplace laws and they have negotiation skills that can help you possibly get more compensation out of your claim. If your offer comes back not the way you planned, a lawyer can step in and guide you in the next steps.

You also might have the option to file a lawsuit against your place of employment if the situation were to turn very ugly. Sometimes it’s hard fighting battles with your place of employment since they are trying to save the company money. That means, sadly, they can be stingy with the benefits.

The lawyer you hire will be responsible for gathering all of the necessary documents like medical records and copies of your workplace’s worker’s compensation papers to the avenues that could build your case.

Speak to an Accident Lawyer Today

Being injured at your place of employment is never a good thing to experience. There are days off work, which means no time to make money, and then you’re having to face stress over medical bills and what is going to happen in your future.

If you have suffered from an internal, cumulative disease, there is also anguish you could experience if the disease starts to impact your life.

In that case, it’s time to speak to a legal representative that will fight for you and seek justice against your place of employment, which should have had regulations in place to protect their employees.

Call Louisiana Accident Lawyers at (888) 407-0911 to get started with your case today.