Many people in the United States are unsure how to go about requesting the services of a lawyer. Unfortunately, many people in the United States have an active need for one and regularly find themselves floating in legal limbo instead of getting the help they need. A lawyer, be they a worker compensation lawyer or personal injury lawyer, is your help through hard times. They can assist you with everything from paperwork to court hearings to ensure your voice is heard and your needs are met.
Legal Industry Statistics
If you’re concerned about whether or not your issues can feasibly be brought to the table, keep reading. Private industry employers reported at least three million nonfatal workplace injuries as well as illnesses back in 2013. While this has lowered the incidence rate to three cases per 100 full-time workers compared to the previous year, this issue is still common enough to require the assistance of legal intervention for many.
Workers’ Compensation
The purpose of workers’ compensation is to ensure a worker that has been legally or financially wronged is properly compensated. The year 2011 saw both state and federal workers’ compensation laws covering up to 125 million employees. Workers’ compensation pays off 100% of medical costs for injured workers as well as gives out cash benefits for lost work time for up to a week-long waiting period. The same year saw benefit payments under workers’ compensation programs totaling $60 billion, a notable 4% increase from just the year before.
Workplace Injuries
There are many different types of injuries and illnesses you can gain on the job, leading you to seek out a workers’ compensation lawyer to make up for lost time and money. The year 2013 saw over 327,000 job-related sprains, strains and tears. The same year saw an additional 230,000 slip, trip and fall injuries as well as a notable amount of lower and upper back injuries. Nursing assistants and orderlies, to boot, have been found to suffer roughly three times the rate of back and additional musculoskeletal injuries as construction laborers.
Workplace Illnesses
While injuries are frequently brought to the forefront as one of the most publicized results of workers’ compensation, you can also receive assistance if you gain an illness while working. Over 900,000 occupational injuries and illnesses resulted in multiple missed days of work back in 2013, with the average number for American men and women being at least eight days. The flu is one of the most common illnesses spread, as well as shingles and the common cold, but are by no means the only ones that can debilitate a worker for a prolonged period of time. Workers compensation attorneys are familiar with the ins and outs of illness and how it can severely impact a worker’s ability to do their job.
How To Contact A Lawyer
Should you be struggling under the weight of missed days as a result of illness or suspect you received an injury on the job that is affecting your ability to function full-time, the most important first step on your journey is to seek out the assistance of a lawyer. Wages and salaries both make up around 70% of compensation costs, with benefits adding up the rest of the percentage. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2010 National Compensation survey, workers’ compensation costs only represented 2% of employer spending. When you are struggling to get back on your feet again and don’t know who to turn to, a workers compensation lawyer can help you get on the right track once more.
