Sustaining an injury while on the job, or an exacerbation of a pre-existing condition because of work-related duties or workplace conditions may leave an employee with costly medical needs and lost wages. Oklahoma workers' compensation benefits are available to those who qualify, to assist with the costs and financial setbacks an on-the-job injury can cause. Unfortunately, employers' insurance companies tend to put the companies' best interests first, paying out as little as possible to injured employees. To find a professional to advocate on your behalf is an important step in making sure your financial needs are met and that you receive the maximum workers' comp benefits available.
Workers' compensation benefits are designed to provide medical and rehabilitative care for injured workers. Under Oklahoma's Workers' Compensation Act, an employee cannot be fired for filing a workers' compensation claim, for hiring a workers' comp attorney, or for testifying on behalf of an injured co-worker. In some cases, however, injured workers are unlawfully fired after sustaining an injury or after valid injury claims are rejected by the employer's insurance agency.
If you have been injured in the workplace or while performing your duties as an employee, contact a workers' compensation lawyer to gain professional legal counsel. Your personal legal advocate can challenge insurance companies' denials and withholdings to help you seek the optimal benefit for your workers' comp claim.
As one of the last states in the union to handle workers' compensation cases through a court-based system, Oklahoma government has sought an overhaul of the current system. Beginning in February of 2014, with further changes taking place the following August, the Oklahoma workers' comp system will now be handled at an administrative level.
Many argue that the new system will provide a reduction in workers' compensation expenses for business and industries, helping Oklahoma's economy, but these benefits will come at the expense of Oklahoma's injured employees. The new law does not prohibit pursuing benefit action through the courts, but mandates that workers must first seek their workers' comp benefits through administrative means.
If you are seeking workers' compensation for a job-related injury or illness, an attorney can help you obtain the maximum benefits if you act quickly. Without an experienced workers' compensation benefits lawyer on your side, who will advocate on your behalf? Contact the Law Firm of Oklahoma as soon as possible for a free consultation to find out more about the benefits due to you.
Many employees fail to realize that workers' compensation benefits not only cover workplace injuries which occur on-the-job, but may also cover a host of other conditions, ailments, and injuries. If work conditions or job-related duties cause the worsening or re-injury of a preexisting condition, workers' compensation benefits may be available to the impaired employee.
Oklahoma employees can receive workers' compensation benefits for a number of work-related medical conditions including, but not limited to:
No matter the illness, injury, or condition from which one suffers, if it was caused or aggravated by the work environment or employment duties, or if it occurred on the job site, the employee may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits. Additionally, the surviving spouse and/or dependent children of a worker whose work-related injury or illness caused or contributed to his or her death, death benefits may be available under the Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Act.
Depending upon the nature of the work-related injury or illness, an employee may be unable to return to the workplace for a period of time. Through a medical evaluation, an injured employee may be deemed temporarily or even permanently disabled, and the disability may be partial or total. The benefits available to an injured worker are determined by the circumstances of his or her injury and the resulting condition.
An Oklahoma Workers' Compensation attorney is familiar with the types of benefits available to injured employees, and is thus effective in seeking the maximum total benefit for his or her client. Workers' compensation benefits may be payable for any of the following disability types or a combination thereof:
Understanding Oklahoma's Workers Compensation Act is paramount to determining the total maximum benefits due an injured worker and his or her family. An experienced attorney can help you get the financial compensation you need and deserve for your work-related injury.
As the Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Court is being replaced by an administrative system, injured employees may suffer financially as well as physically. Taking the immediate initiative to contact an experienced workers' comp lawyer may help. With a team of experienced professionals dedicated to preserving the rights and interests of its clients, the Law Firm of Oklahoma can help injured workers receive the maximum benefits available. Do not hesitate to call to schedule your free consultation today.
