Murfreesboro Workers Compensation Lawyers
If you suffer a work-related injury, a skilled workers compensation lawyer in Murfreesboro at The Law Office of Smith & Lepp can guide you through the legal process of securing benefits. Our Murfreesboro workers compensation lawyers help injured workers in Middle Tennessee strengthen their claims with the insurance companies of their employer.
What is workers compensation?
Workers compensation is a mandatory business insurance paid by companies in order to provide medical coverage and income replacement to employees who become ill or injured on the job. Businesses are required by law to carry this type of insurance. Penalties for failing to do so can be severe.
With workers compensation, the employer is liable for his or her own gross negligence, in addition to employee negligence, and for extraordinary risks in the workplace. In most cases the employer is not liable for accidents occurring outside the place of work, or for those that have not occurred directly from employment.
In 2009 alone, Tennessee workers compensation paid a total of over $1.1 billion in total compensation and medical bills—but many claims were denied during that same period. If you have suffered from a work-related injury, a skilled workers compensation lawyer in Murfreesboro at The Law Office of Smith & Lepp can guide you through the legal process of securing benefits. Our Murfreesboro workers compensation lawyers help injured workers in Middle Tennessee strengthen their claims with their employers' insurance companies.
If you suffered a work-related injury, a skilled workers comp lawyer in Murfreesboro can further advise you of your legal rights.
Workers compensation lawyers in Murfreesboro | Are you eligible for workers compensation?
Almost all employees are entitled to workers compensation benefits after suffering a work-related injury. The purpose of workers compensation is two-fold: to provide an incentive for employers to create safe and healthy working conditions and to prevent employees from pursuing personal injury litigation directly against employers.
A major difference between personal injury claims and workers compensation is that injured workers do not have to prove that the employer was negligent or at fault in order to receive benefits. In fact, almost all work-related injuries are covered, regardless of fault. This can include injuries arising from a range of circumstances:
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In order to receive benefits for a work-related illness or disease, a worker must be able to demonstrate that the unique conditions of the work directly caused the illness or disease. If you have been injured on the job or have contracted an illness or disease related to your work in Middle Tennessee, do not hesitate to contact a Murfreesboro workers comp lawyer.
Types of workers comp benefits
After you have followed the steps for receiving workers compensation, you will be entitled to receive benefits in accordance with Tennessee laws. The types of benefits that can be administered by your Tennessee employer’s insurance carriers fall into four categories:
- Disability benefits: weekly benefits that are paid for missed work, accounting for two-thirds of the average weekly salary of the worker, which is administered tax-free
- Medical benefits: physician for treatment, free of charge, selected by the injured worker from a panel of three provided by the insurance company
- Permanent disability: if a worker does not recover completely from an injury, then that worker may be entitled to permanent partial disability (PPD) or permanent total disability (PTD)
- Death benefits: administered to a beneficiary
If you have been injured and are unable to work, contact a workers compensation lawyer in Murfreesboro at The Law Office of Smith & Lepp. We aggressively defend your interests when trying to reach a settlement with insurance companies.
When you need a workers comp lawyer in Murfreesboro
In many cases, you can receive compensation for your expenses without retaining a Murfreesboro workers comp lawyer. After you are injured, you simply notify your employer and follow their instructions—since you are required to select a doctor from a list provided by your employer, you may never even see a bill.
However, obtaining an attorney early can improve your situation by the handling the details of your claim and decreasing the chance of you being unfairly denied benefits in the future.
Workplace injury statistics
As the following work injury statistics show, workplace injuries affect people in all lines of business and can cause a severe economic and emotional toll on our society:
- Each year in the United States, approximately 4.1 million people suffer a workplace injury or occupational illness.
- The injury rate averages about 4.4 cases per 100 full-time workers.
- Workplace deaths, illnesses and injuries cost $155.5 billion each year.
- For more than two million U.S. workers, on-the-job injuries are so severe that these employees end up missing work and requiring ongoing medical treatment.
- Mid-sized companies between 50 and 249 workers have the highest incidence of workplace injuries.
- The lowest incidence of workplace injuries occur in small companies with fewer than 11 employees.
- Construction is one of the most dangerous professions, with construction workers accounting for 1 in 5 workplace deaths and 1 in 10 nonfatal on-the-job injuries and illnesses.
- The leading cause of workplace fatalities is car crashes, causing more than 1,300 worker deaths each year.
Contact us
If you have been injured and are unable to work, contact a workers compensation lawyer in Murfreesboro at The Law Office of Smith & Lepp. We aggressively defend your interests when trying to reach a settlement with insurance companies.
