MOST JOB INJURIES COVERED UNDER INDIANA WORKER’S COMPENSATION ACT – EVEN IF INJURED WHILE IN THE PORTABLE TOILET!
A construction worker, let’s call him Phil, was recently injured on a worksite when high winds took an 80-foot section of concrete to the ground below. The concrete mass fell from the seventh floor of the former Chase Tower building in Indianapolis, and tumbled onto the sidewalk, but not before it took a direct hit atop a portable toilet. Phil was using the toilet at the time of the accident. His injuries have not been reported as life threatening.
Four out of every 100 workers are injured or killed each year on the job. Most job injuries, even those that sound as silly as Phil’s, are covered under the Indiana Worker’s Compensation Act, allowing workers to receive compensation benefits.
The state of Indiana says, “worker’s compensation is an accident insurance program paid by your employer, which may provide you with medical, rehabilitation and income benefits if you are injured on the job.” These benefits are provided to help employees return to work. It also provides benefits to a worker’s dependents if they die as the result of a job-related injury.
The state continues to say that since the law requires most businesses to have worker’s compensation insurance, workers like Phil, are covered from the first day they are on the job.
Whether the injury is temporary or permanent there are typically three benefits available to injured workers. They include:
Wage Replacement Benefits
Medical Care and
Money if the Medical care can’t return you to pre-injury health status
Although, if injured workers were not given the full worker’s compensation benefits from their employer, they may be eligible for extra compensation. This compensation would assist them in covering damages they have suffered and help pay for medical payments and living expenses.
WHAT TO DO IF INJURED IN A WORK ACCIDENT
If you find yourself in a situation where you have been injured on the job, you should report the accident to your employer immediately. If you wait more then 30 days your claim may be denied.
Follow these steps to ensure your worker’s compensation case:
Seek medical attention immediately
Notify your employer and file an injury or accident report
Contact a worker’s compensation accident lawyer at Wagner Reese to assist you in gathering evidence and filing your suit
Collect statements from witnesses and coworkers at the event
Never sign or agree to anything your employer gives you without first consulting with your lawyer
In addition, an employer may not fire someone for filing a worker’s compensation claim, but Indiana is an at-will employment state. This means that an employee could be fired at any time for other reasons. If this happens during or after a claim is filed, a worker may feel that their loss of employment is in fact, related to their injury claim.
Stephen Wagner and Jason Reese can handle your Indiana work injury claim with years of experience and proven results. Also, if you feel you have been wrongly discharged because of your worker’s compensation claim please call the law firm of Wagner Reese today 888-710-9377 for your FREE consultation!
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