Workers’ Compensation and Employment in Raleigh
An employer that has three or more employees must obtain workers’ compensation insurance in Raleigh. An employee of any such business is covered under workers’ compensation should there be an at-work accident.
An at-work accident can completely change an employee’s life. Suffering an injury, even some relatively minor injuries, can alter a person’s mobility, independence, and their ability to live a life of normalcy. It can also hinder their options for work.
For example, if a person normally is employed to do physically-taxing work, but they suffer a serious injury that prevents them from doing laborious tasks, then they will not be able to go back to their pre-injury job, nor can they do jobs that are similar. They would have to completely change their line of work. By default, this can also affect a person’s income, which will impact their life on many different levels.
If you, or someone you love, has suffered an injury at work, it is very important to get in contact with a Raleigh workers’ compensation lawyer. An attorney will not only act as a guide through the legal process of pursuing compensation for your injuries, but will also help alleviate the frustrations and stress of your case.
Establishing a Case
If an employee is injured on the job, they should immediately report the injury to a supervisor. They must give notice to their supervisor or their employer in writing within 30 days of the incident in order to have the opportunity to receive workers’ compensation.
An employee may not know initially if they have a workers’ compensation case, though. It is therefore important to report any accident or injury to their immediately to their supervisor in writing. It is also a good idea to file a Form 18 with the Industrial Commission.
Additionally, the injured worker should seek medical treatment as soon as possible to determine if they received an injury that prevents them from returning to work. Not only is good information for the injured worker to know overall, but it will also play a crucial role as they pursue workers’ compensation for their injury.
Filing a Case
To file a workers’ compensation case, the person must notify their supervisor or their employer immediately about any injury in writing within 30 days of the injury. The injured worker needs to remain cognizant and cautious of this time limit since it will affect their ability to file their workers’ compensation case.
If they have suffered a serious injury at work, they are deserving of appropriate compensation, but if they miss the 30 day mark, they may lose that opportunity.
Inability to Return to Your Job
When a person is unable to return to the type of job they had before they were injured, there are a couple of options. The first option is to explore settlement opportunities. It may make sense to settle the claim if they are unable to return to that previous pre-injury job. The other options could include vocation rehabilitation, retraining, and educational opportunities so that the injured worker can be retrained and obtain new employment under the permanent work restrictions.
In any case, the injured worker should contact an attorney to make sure they are aware of the different options they have, as well as to ensure that they are receiving the compensation and care that they need and deserve.
