If you have been injured at work, contacting a lawyer who specializes in workers' compensation or personal injury law is the best way to ensure that your rights will be protected. A lawyer can protect your rights in many ways. For example, if someone other than your employer or co-worker was partly at fault for your injury, you may be able to file a liability insurance claim against that person or business.
Additionally, if your accident is not covered by workers' compensation (for example, if you are an independent contractor or because the company does not have workers' compensation insurance), you may be entitled to bring legal action against someone for whom you were working, just as you could file a claim against any other person who caused you personal injury.
In such a case, you may be able to recover compensation that you couldn't recover in a workers' compensation claim, including attorney fees, compensation for pain and suffering, and punitive damages (damages to punish the party who injured you).
Conclusion
The workers' compensation system of laws is designed to provide a straightforward method for employees to receive compensation for work-related injuries. However, workers' compensation laws vary from state to state, and have quite specific procedural requirements. To ensure that you receive proper and just compensation, it is advisable to contact an experienced workers' compensation or personal injury lawyer soon after you are injured.
