There are many types of jobs out there. Some are safe desk jobs, while others are a bit more physical and hands one. No matter the job, however, accidents can happen, and when they do, it’s a good idea to contact a worker compensation lawyer to help navigate legal matters that can pop up from having to miss work due to a workplace accident.
While workplace injuries might not seem like a very common occurrence, they happen more often than people realize. Just in 2013 there were 3.0 million nonfatal workplace injuries reports by private industry employers. In 2013, for example, there were 327,060 sprains and tears reported, 229,190 reports of slipping, tripping, or falling injuries, and 170,450 reported back injuries. An estimated 917,100 workplace injuries and illnesses caused employees to miss work. The average length of missed days of work due to workplace injuries is about 8 days in the U.S.
Workers’ compensation laws are great, because the laws and workers comp lawyers help protect the employees from unfair treatment. Just in 2011, 125.8 million employees utilized state and federal workers compensation laws. They’re a big help to those who have been injured because they help cover 100% of any medical costs and pays out cash for lost work time. Just in 2011, workers’ compensation benefit payments were near $60.2 billion!
But where do the funds come from to support such a beneficial and necessary program? It’s easy! About 70% of compensation costs come from wages and salaries of employees, while benefits take up the other 30% of compensation. On average, workers’ compensation costs make up about 1.6% of overall employee spending.
The process to claim workers’ compensation benefits isn’t always easy, though. There’s a lot of paperwork and legal jargon involved, which is where a workers compensation law firm and worker compensation lawyer would really come in handy. They can help employees file a workers compensation claim. After all, the last thing someone with a workplace injury wants to do is end up missing out on a benefit like workers’ compensation.
