If you are hurt or sick because of something that happened at work, you may be eligible to get wage replacement, medical care, and other benefits through workers’ compensation. Most people in Madison County, Alabama, should have this type of insurance coverage available through their employer.
When there are issues getting the benefits you need while you cannot work and need medical care, a Madison workers’ compensation attorney from the Morris Bart law firm may be able to help. We provide free consultations and can discuss your options with you.
Types of Benefits Workers’ Compensation Provides for Injured and Ill Employees
Alabama has laws that mandate coverage for most employees hurt on the job, known as the Alabama Workers’ Compensation Act. Under these statutes, workers whose employers have the required coverage can receive certain benefits when they:
- Are hurt in an accident or incident at work, regardless of fault
- Become sick because of a workplace exposure
- Suffer a chronic-use injury because of job tasks
The benefits an injured or ill worker can get through workers’ compensation include:
Weekly Wage Loss Benefits
While you are away from work because of your illness or injury, workers’ compensation should pay you about two-thirds of your usual pay up to the maximum offered by the insurer. This is known as temporary total disability.
You can still receive benefits if you return to work but only part-time or handle limited tasks. These are temporary partial benefits and will pay the difference between your current pay and two-thirds of your usual pay.
If you cannot return to your previous job, you may receive permanent partial disability or permanent total disability.
Medical Care Payments
Workers’ compensation should cover all injury- or illness-related medical assessments, treatment, and related care for a covered workplace incident. You will need to see a physician approved by your employer and insurer, but you will not receive bills or have to worry about paying for your care.
Other Benefits
Some workers may qualify for additional benefits. This includes vocational rehabilitation and other help retraining for their job or learning a new position. Those who need this benefit generally either suffer lasting impairments or need additional therapy to return to work.
There are also benefits for families who lost a loved one due to a deadly workplace accident. This could include reasonable final expenses, such as funeral costs and a one-time benefit to help with other losses.
For a free legal consultation with a Workers’ Compensation lawyer serving Madison, call 800-537-8185
How Our Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Can Help with Your Claim
At the Morris Bart law firm, we have more than 40 years of experience helping clients get the justice they deserve. We have 15 locations in the Gulf South, including four in Alabama. We serve Madison and greater Madison County from our Huntsville office. This location is:
600 Boulevard South-Southwest, Suite 104
Huntsville, AL 35802
We understand how vital workers’ compensation benefits are when you are hurt and cannot earn your usual living. So we help our clients every step of the way, fighting for their weekly cash benefits, medical care coverage, and support to return to the workforce when their doctor says they are ready.
Our recent workers’ compensation cases include:
- $640,000 for a Lafayette, LA, worker who endured neck and lower back injuries, headaches, and hip tendinosis
- $300,000 for a worker in New Orleans who lives with aggravated degenerative disc disease in their lower back and who incurred lost wages
Our lawyers work based on a contingency fee. We do not ask clients to pay us any upfront fees. Instead, our attorneys’ fees come from the compensation we recover for them. We will not ask you to pay any attorneys’ fees until we secure money for you and your family.
Do I Need an Attorney to Help with My Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Many Madison County workers can navigate the claims process and get workers’ compensation without help from a workers compensation lawyer. However, things do not always go smoothly. Some things that may go wrong include:
- Your employer does not believe your injury is work-related
- The insurer denies your claim for workers’ compensation
- They refuse to pay appropriate wage loss benefits
- They try to force you back to work too soon
If you work at a covered business—usually those with five or more employees—you should have access to these benefits. Our workers’ compensation attorneys can help you fight for the benefits you need and deserve if you run into any problems. We have likely seen similar concerns with other clients’ cases and can take action to get these problems resolved.
We file claims for injured workers whose employers failed to move the process forward and those who received appeal denials. We can also assess your options when the workers’ compensation insurer does not pay out the amount you expected.
Click to contact our Madison Personal Injury Lawyers today
Some Injured Employees May Qualify to File a Personal Injury Claim
Certain workplace injuries may also support a personal injury claim. Alabama law will not allow you to sue your employer because of an on-the-job injury in most cases. However, sometimes another party causes the incident, such as a delivery driver, contractor, or vendor.
While workers’ compensation insurance is a no-fault policy, you may be able to file an insurance claim or lawsuit to hold the liable party legally responsible. The recoverable compensation is in addition to your workers’ compensation benefits.
Our workers’ compensation lawyers can assess your options based on the facts of what happened. You may have up to two years to sue under Ala. Code § 6-2-38. Exceptions could make this longer or shorter.
Talk to a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer about Your Claim for Free
If you need help with your workers’ compensation claim in Madison, one of our lawyers will review your case for free with you. We may be able to file your claim or appeal a denial on your behalf. You can reach the Morris Bart law firm in Huntsville today. We assess cases in Huntsville by appointment only.
Questions?Call 800-537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
