May 20, 2015 Workers Comp Benefits: Where and How do I Apply? Should I Hire a Lawyer? Help for the Injured is within. In an earlier article, I wrote that if you are hurt on the job you must call a personal injury lawyer because injured workers sometimes have more rights than what workers compensation (“workers comp” or just “comp” as it is commonly called) will pay. Many people who get hurt at work (including but not limited to: construction workers, firefighters, police officers, people in car or bus accidents, and people hurt by machines or chemicals) can still sue for full money damages after being hurt on the job. Keeping with the theme of helping the injured and in need, today’s article shows you how to access workers comp benefits in New York and other states. Where and How do I apply for Workers Comp Benefits? States and the Federal Government handle workers comp benefits programs differently. To review options for workers comp benefits in your state, check out the links below. They will direct you to your state’s official workers comp benefits page where you can read about your benefits and file a claim. For New York, click here. For New Jersey, click here. For Louisiana, click here. For Texas, click here. To find another state’s official workers comp benefits website, address, and contact information, click here for the Federal Government’s list. Some Industries Have Separate Insurance for Injured Employees that Works Like Workers Comp Benefits: If you work in one of the certain special industries and need to apply for your equivalent of workers comp benefits, use the links below: For railroad employees, the Railroad Retirement Board administers certain benefits. For longshoremen, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act applies For federal employees, the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act applies . For sailors and commercial fishermen, the Jones Act applies. For miners suffering from black lung disease, the Black Lung Benefits Act applies. Should I hire a lawyer to help with workers comp benefits? Yes. When you are seriously hurt, you should focus on your health and let a lawyer focus on the legal aspects of your benefits. Injured people are likely to get more workers comp benefits if they are represented by a professional and competent workers compensation lawyer. The lawyer will help an injured worker in several ways. A lawyer will guide an injured person (the “claimant”) through the workers compensation process and appear at hearings on the injured client’s behalf. The lawyer will organize medical and other important records for the injured client. The lawyer will make sure the client’s rights are protected against seasoned opponents who represent the company. The lawyer will teach the injured person how to testify. The lawyer will show the claimant how to tolerate medical examinations by insurance doctors. A consultation with a personal injury or workers compensation attorney is free and confidential. by Clifford Tucker All 0 2
