Workers’ or workers compensation law is a form of insurance that protects employees when they sustain a work-related injury or illness. The laws governing how states handle workers’ compensation vary. Fortunately for workers in Ohio and Kentucky, employers must offer workers’ compensation to most employees. Make sure you receive the benefits you need by hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer if you get sick or injured while doing your job.
Workplace accidents and illness are not only devastating to your health but also to your finances. Moreover, a workers’ compensation claim is filed when you must take time off work to recuperate. Consequently, you’re left wondering how you’re going to pay your bills and provide for your family. However, if you need workers’ compensation benefits but you’re not sure how to go about it, a skilled workers’ compensation lawyer can help you through the process. Additionally, they can take some of the burdens from you as you recover.
The team at Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC understands how important workers’ compensation benefits are when your injuries prevent you from earning your normal income. By keeping you aware of your rights, fighting for the benefits that you need, and offering much-needed support along the way, our attorneys strive to help Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky workers and families through difficult times. Our lawyers have been serving the community for years and take pride in the outcomes that we have been able to achieve for the workers who keep our community strong. To discuss your case with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer, call Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC at (513) 351-5997 or (859) 371-5997 today.
Do I Need a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
If your job has left you injured or sick, the financial impact could be devastating to you and your family. Injuries with a relatively smooth recovery time can still be costly in terms of initial treatment, ongoing medical expenses, and lost wages. For more severe injuries or long-term illnesses, the physical and financial impact can be exponentially more consequential. Workers’ comp supports workers during tough times; a lawyer secures access to vital benefits, aiding with:
Navigating medical treatment and rehab’s early stages is complex, and workers’ comp applications add a burden. For this reason, many families may not get around to filing for workers’ compensation. A top workers’ compensation attorney can help you collect the benefits you need and fight for a suitable settlement if necessary.
Why Hire Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC to Handle My Case?
The lawyers at Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC have experience helping people in a variety of challenging and potentially life-altering situations. With offices in Ohio and Kentucky, we’re able to fight for workers’ rights across state lines. Regardless of location, we empathize with the impact of injuries on workers’ earnings and the financial strain it places on families.
Our legal team understands how hard it can be to reach out for help in the midst of difficult times. Workers in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are largely self-reliant, preferring to handle what they can independently. The workers’ compensation lawyer supports the self-reliance of Greater Cincinnati workers while supplying them with some added financial support so that they can return to their normal lives as soon as possible.
We work diligently to recover the benefits that workers need so that they don’t face serious financial struggles. Additionally, our workers’ compensation attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means that unless we can recover the benefits that you need, you won’t pay us. Having competent legal help for workers comp claims shouldn’t be inaccessible when you’re already in dire financial straits, and with the team at Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC, it’s not.
Workers’ Compensation Cases We Handle
The legal team has offered support to many people seeking assistance with workers’ compensation over the years. Our experience has given us the ability to hone in on our clients’ needs based on their unique situation. Key to filing workers’ comp in Ohio: Know your employer’s coverage. Regarding workers’ compensation, employers in Ohio are either:
- Self-insured —These employers will directly pay employees who are granted workers’ compensation benefits.
- State-fund — State-fund employers pay regular insurance premiums to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. When someone files a claim, the BWC makes the payment instead of the employer.
- Private Insurance Carrier — In Kentucky, most employers purchase private workers’ compensation insurance on the open market. Making a claim with these carriers is more like making a claim with the automobile insurance of a negligent driver. They represent the other side in the injury, and generally act accordingly.
If you aren’t sure whether your employer participates in state-fund, workers comp benefits, or self-insured workers’ compensation, ask. Your employer can guide you on reporting and seeking medical care after a workplace injury. Make sure you collect the necessary information from your human resources department and follow the specific procedures. Your workers’ compensation benefits, depending on your specific injury or illness, will cover the following:
- Medical Costs — This often includes emergency care, doctors’ appointments, ongoing treatment, and prescriptions.
- Lost Wages — Depending on the severity of your condition, the amount of compensation provided by workers’ compensation will differ. Your injury or illness will be classified as either permanent partial disability, temporary total disability, or permanent total disability.
Based on your condition, a lawyer can ensure that you receive a fair and helpful amount for your situation.
Ohio Workers’ Compensation Statistics
Many Ohio employees work in industries such as environmental technology, aerospace, agriculture, bioscience, and manufacturing. Nonetheless, despite the reliability of jobs in these sectors, no occupation is without its risks. The private sectors in Ohio with the highest reported rate of workplace incidents per year are as follows:
- Health Care — 4 incidents
- Agriculture — 3.8 incidents
- Manufacturing — 3.5 incidents
- Transportation — 3.4 incidents
- Construction — 3.2 incidents
- Wholesale — 2.9 incidents
In the last three years, Ohio BWC reported annual workers’ comp claims, including:
- 2016 — 99,082 claims
- 2017 — 97,931 claims
- 2018 — 97,185 claims
Common workplace injuries include repetitive motion, chemical exposure, trips, strains, collisions, and fractures. The injuries experienced by workers will vary widely depending on their personal injury and their industry. No matter the situation, a lawyer helps injured workers pursue the benefits they need.
If you are filing an Ohio Workers’ Compensation claim, and if your employer has state-fund workers’ comp coverage, you are permitted to see any doctor you want for your first medical visit. After the first visit, you must choose from a list of BWC-certified doctors for any follow-up or ongoing care for your condition. Choosing not to be treated by a BWC-certified doctor, your benefits may not cover the cost of your medical expenses. If your employer is self-insured, discuss their requirements for the medical care that is covered under their workers’ compensation plan.
If you are filing a Kentucky Workers’ Compensation claim, most doctors will be acceptable to your Workers’ Compensation plan so long as the doctor is reasonably close to your home or work. The best thing you can do is call the doctor’s office ahead of the appointment, give them your Workers’ Compensation claim number and the adjuster’s phone number, and ask them to get pre-approval for the appointment.
Following a workplace injury, get the medical attention that you need and report your injury to your employer promptly. Be clear with your medical provider about your situation and tell them about your MCO if your employer has state-fund workers’ compensation benefits, or give them the name of the adjuster and the claim number if your employer has privately funded benefits. If your doctor prescribes medication, tell your pharmacist that the medication is related to a Kentucky or Ohio workers’ compensation claim.
Make sure that a workers’ compensation claim with your MCO or private carrier is filed, which you, your doctor, or your employer can do and it is generally best to seek advice from an attorney before filing. In Ohio, if your doctor files your claim, it must be submitted within 24 hours of your treatment. In addition to immediate medical care, reach out to a lawyer to make sure that you are receiving the care and benefits that your situation calls for.
Contact a Cincinnati Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Today
Seeking legal assistance after a workplace accident can simplify matters for employees and their families. The Cincinnati team at Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC is committed to making the workers’ compensation benefits process as straightforward as possible. We leverage our legal expertise to provide assistance to families experiencing physical and financial challenges. Contact us today at (513) 351-5997 to arrange a complimentary case assessment with a knowledgeable member of our team.
