Two Workers' Compensation Myths Exposed

Most days at your job go without a major problem or anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, on the job accidents and injuries can seem to come out of the blue, and these events can leave you with mountains of medical bills and lost wages. When this happens, you may not be responsible for these costs. Yet, workers' compensation is something that most people do not know much about, and as a result, they may assume that a couple of common myths are true. 

Myth: You Can Only Receive Money If Your Employer Has This Type Of Coverage

Employers are legally required to have a workers' compensation policy for every employee that they have. Sadly, some business owners will skip this requirement, and as a result, they may not be able to pay for their employee's injuries when workplace accidents happen. Luckily, this does not mean that you have to be liable for these expenses. 

It is possible to pursue these matters through the civil court system. If you are awarded a verdict, the employer will be required to pay, and this can come from a garnishment of the profits of the enterprise. Additionally, the employer may be severely fined for failing to have this type of insurance on an employee. 

Myth: Your Workers' Compensation Attorney Will Take All Of The Settlement For Their Fees

Some individuals will tend to avoid hiring an attorney to settle these matters because they are under the assumption that the attorney will be too expensive or take all of the settle. Luckily, this is not the case. If you are concerned about paying up front for an attorney, you should know that most workers' compensation attorneys work on a performance basis, and this means that they only get paid when they collect money for you. 

To prevent these professionals from taking too much of the settlement for the worker, there are caps on the maximum amount of fees that they can collect from clients. However, these regulations will greatly vary from community to community, and you will need to check with your local bar association to determine how this fee is governed. 

Being injured in a workplace accident can be a devastating experience to suffer. In addition to ruining your financial situation, these incidents can result in long-term or permanent disabilities. By debunking these two widely held beliefs about workers' compensation cases, you will have a stronger understanding of how to defend your rights in these cases. Contact a company like Prediletto, Halpin, Scharnikow & Nelson, P.S. for more information.

Share