Workers’ Compensation

An injury at work can wreak havoc on a person’s life. It may be difficult to pay medical bills and take care of family members; dealing with an employer and its insurer can be overwhelming.  Kopelman Law Group has the knowledge and experience to protect injured workers’ rights to ensure they receive appropriate compensation necessary to pay bills and meet family obligations.

Injured workers are entitled to receive lost wages (usually referred to as “temporary total disability payments”) and necessary medical treatment, including therapy, prescriptions, and any medical supplies required to treat their injuries. Workers who are disabled due to an on-the-job injury are entitled to receive additional disability payments known as “permanent partial disability.”

Workplace injuries may include fractures, lost limbs, lacerations, head injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive stress injuries, and injuries caused by other employees or equipment.  Many workers who have suffered such injuries express concern that if they file a claim or hire an attorney, their employer might take adverse action against them, perhaps even terminating their employment.

This is a natural and understandable concern; however, employers and their insurers know that workers who have capable legal counsel are far more likely to know how to protect themselves than are unrepresented workers.  Thus, it is the unrepresented injured worker who is easy prey for employers, their insurers, and their teams of attorneys who are on retainer and available at a moment’s notice. These workers, who often are out of work and lack the resources to protect themselves, far more frequently fall victim to an employer’s or an insurer’s strong-arm tactics.  While we make every effort to establish and maintain a cooperative working relationship with our clients’ employers and their insurers, KLG clients can rest easy knowing we will take all necessary steps to protect their legal rights and their jobs.

Injured workers should not, therefore, handle their own workers’ compensation claims, or fear retaliation for hiring a lawyer. An employer will seek to protect its own rights, not the workers’ rights. It is imperative that workers understand their legal rights, including their right to independent medical assessment, and how and when benefits must be paid. Our firm can ensure legal rights are not forfeited or unjustly withheld, and make sure that when an injured worker is well enough to return to work, his or her job will be available.

Click here for KLG’s Workers’ Compensation brochure.