With almost 90 workers being injured every week in the United States, the financial stability that workers compensation provides to injured employees is a vital component to the income of many working families.
In fact, here in Tennessee - almost all employers are required by law to carry workers compensation insurance to ensure that workers have that financial support should they ever need it.
If you have been injured in the workplace, our Knoxville workers compensation lawyer can help determine if you are eligible to collect compensation for lost wages, medical expenses and other related costs that have occurred as a result of your injuries.
To find out more, please fill out the "Free Case Review" form located to the right.
What Type Of Companies Need To Carry Workers Compensation?
According to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Workers’ Compensation, employers must have workers’ compensation insurance if:
- They have five or more full or part-time employees;
- They are engaged in mining and production of coal with one or more employees; or
- They are contractors in the construction industry with one or more employees.
This means that if a worker in Tennessee has been injured on the job, chances are they are qualified to receive workers’ compensation benefits.
Common Workplace Injuries
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), every year in America, over 3 million people suffer a workplace injury from which they may never recover. In fact, 4,547 workers were killed on the job in 2010 alone, with almost 1/5 of these injuries are construction-related.
It is the employer’s responsibility to keep the work environment safe, and when a workplace injury occurs, the employee should not be held responsible.
Some common workplace injuries include:
- Slip and fall injuries
- Chemical burns
- Toxic exposure
- Heart attacks
- Orthopedic injuries
- Hearing loss
- Muscle damage / strain
- Dislocations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Severed nerves
- Cuts and lacerations
- Dismemberment
- Broken bone
- Head and neck injuries
- Back injuries
These injuries can be caused by a variety of circumstances - including faulty equipment, lenient safety regulations and carelessness or negligence of co-workers. However, by being alert and aware of your surroundings can often help to prevent or minimize a workplace injury.
Types Of Disability Benefits
As there are many types of injuries and different levels of injury severity, the workers compensation system has been designed to accommodate these situations.
The primary types of injury benefits include:
Permanent - these are paid to workers that have sustained injuries that prevent them from returning to work in any capacity.
Permanent impairment - these benefits are given to workers that have suffered a serious injury that impedes their ability to perform their job. Workers that have injuries that result in limb amputation, loss of vision or serious facial disfigurement are often eligible to receive these benefits.
Temporary total - if a worker in injured on the job and that injury prevents them from returning to that job for a limited period of time, the employee may be eligible to receive these benefits.
Temporary partial - these benefits are awarded to workers that are able to work in a limited capacity during the recovery of their injuries.
Supplemental - if a worker has an injury rating of 20% or MORE, or if a worker earns less than their their pre-injury wage, the injury victim may be eligible to receive these benefits.
Death - in the unfortunate event of a worker being killed on the job, death benefits may be provided to the families or dependants of those that are eligible - however, the time to claim this benefit is often limited to one to five years after the incident.
If you have been injured at work and are unsure of the benefits that you may be entitled today, contact our attorneys today. We offer a 100% FREE initial case review, that allows our clients to submit the details of their incident, which our lawyers will review and then determine if you have grounds to file a claim.
If so, we will then advise on the best way to move forward with proceedings.
Contact Our Knoxville Tennessee Workers Compensation Lawyer Today
Workers’ compensation benefits give an employee economic stability during their recovery from a workplace injury. If you or a loved one has been injured while on the job, you are not alone.
Here at Greg Coleman Law, our personal injury lawyers have the determination and experience to successfully present the facts of your case to ensure that you receive fair compensation for your injuries.
With our head office located in Knoxville, we proudly serve injury victims throughout Knox County, having won over $180 MILLION in verdicts and settlements for our clients in the process.
To find out more, please contact us on 1-800-HURT-NOW (1-800-487-8669) and a member from our intake team will quickly collect some details about your incident and then connect you with one of our attorneys - it's that easy.
For those that would prefer to start immediately, simply fill out the "Free Case Review" form located at the top of this page and we will be in contact with you shortly.
1-800-HURT NOW
