Will You be Covered?
Experiencing a slip and fall while you are at work can be very overwhelming for most. You are most likely in pain and discomfort, and you might not even be able to work. Workers compensation exists so that it can help provide you with money for your medical expenses, physical injury and often times your lost wages. If you have been injured in this type of accident while you are working, this article can provide you with tips to understanding workers compensation and what it covers, how you can prove that you fell, and to be proactive in your case against your employer.
Where Were You Injured?
The main rule of workers compensation is that you had to have been working at the time of the slip and fall in order to be able to be compensated. If you were clocked out on your lunch break, you will most likely not be covered. However, if you were doing a work task like lifting boxes that were too heavy and somehow slipped and were injured, you will be covered. In the event that you have a preexisting condition and your accident causes your injury to get worse or even return, you may be covered!
How Can You Prove You Fell?
Proving that you were hurt while working is not the simplest of tasks sometimes. This is common when workers are injured while in a company vehicle on business. If you were delivering something and then stopped for lunch on the way back and slipped and fell, you may not be covered for workers compensation because you were running a personal errand. Be sure to take pictures of the scene where you were injured, write up where you were, when it occurred, anyone who was around and exactly what happened. If any witnesses were present, have them write a testimonial, date, and sign it.
Can You Sue Your Employer?
If you choose to accept worker’s compensation, you almost always cannot sue your employer. Workers compensation is put into place so that it can protect your employer from lawsuits such as slip and falls. Suing your employer means choosing between definite workers compensation or the possibility that you may receive more money through a lawsuit. That chance is up to you.
Contact an Attorney
If your employer is not self-insured and does not have workers compensation, you should consider contacting a personal injury lawyer Memphis TN relies on so that you can sue for lost wages and medical costs.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Wiseman Bray PLLC for their insight into slip and fall accidents.