Murfreesboro Workers Compensation Claim
If you are considering filing a workers compensation claim in Murfreesboro or Middle Tennessee, The Law Offices of Smith & Lepp can assist you. The advice and support of an experienced attorney can have a significant impact on the type of settlement that you reach with your employer’s insurance company. At the Law Offices of Smith & Lepp, we are determined to defend your interests.
How lawyers can help your claim
The guidelines for addressing work-related injuries are explicitly outlined in state statutes. An employee who suffers a work-related injury is not obliged to demonstrate negligence and the amount of benefits that one can receive must fall within parameters established in the statutes.
Even though the state attempts to make the rules for addressing work-related injuries very clear, there are still some situations where the knowledge and experience of lawyers play a key role.
Choosing a physician
In Tennessee, an injured worker must choose a physician from a panel of three physicians that are supplied by the employer and who report to the insurance company. The physician plays a key role in determining whether you are eligible for workers compensation benefits. Unfortunately, sometimes, there can be a conflict of interest when physicians, insurers, and employers seek to downplay your injuries—or attribute them to activities outside of work—in order to keep costs down. When filing a workers comp claim in Murfreesboro or Middle Tennessee, you should speak to an attorney before choosing a physician.
Negotiating serious injuries
If you are still unable to work after the injury has healed and treatments are no longer necessary, then you may be entitled to Permanent Total Disability (PTD), which entitled you to receive 2/3 of your average weekly salary until you are 65 years old, or Permanent Partial Disability (PPD), which means that you may still be able to work, but not at the level as you did in the past. There are many factors that could influence the terms of your PPD benefits, including your age, job experience, education, and job market
At the Law Offices of Smith & Lepp, we use a variety of tactics to strengthen your Murfreesboro workers compensation claim, including researching your injury, interviewing witnesses, collecting records and reports, speaking with medical experts, and negotiating with insurers.
