Workplace
Injuries
Welcome to the
Workers' Compensation webpage for Epperly & Follis,
P.C. Our experienced workers' compensation disability
attorneys are ready to serve you, should you find that
legal assistance is needed relative to your Commonwealth
of Virginia claim. Our team of legal professionals does
not approach its cases as mere jobs, but as causes in
which larger issues are at stake - causes in which the
firm's lawyers invest personal dedication to see that
justice is done. If you have been injured at work, you
should immediately contact the attorneys at Epperly &
Follis, P.C so that you can be assured that you are
receiving all the benefits available to you.
Workers' compensation is
insurance paid for by employers that provides cash
benefits and medical care if an employee becomes disabled
because of workplace injuries, regardless of fault.
Workers' compensation benefits entitle you to medical
treatment to cure and relieve the effects of your
industrial injury. Treatment may include consultations,
physical therapy, surgery, hospitalization, drug
treatment, and nursing care, as well as physical and
vocational rehabilitation services. You are entitled to be
reimbursed for costs of mileage going to and from your
medical appointments. The injured employee may also be
entitled to lost wages.
It is important that you
are aware of the following:- Insurance Company Doctors
Your employer may tell you to visit an insurance company
doctor to get a "second opinion." You should
consult your lawyer before going to an insurance company
doctor.
The term
"reasonable medical care"
"Reasonable
medical care" includes, but is not limited to,
surgery, special treatments, medications or physical
therapy. If you refuse recommended treatment, your
employer has the right to petition to have your benefits
suspended.The No Discrimination
Rule
No one can penalize you for filing a workers'
compensation claim if you have a work-related injury,
illness or disease. If you feel that you have been
discriminated against because of a worker's compensation
claim, contact Epperly & Follis, P.C immediately.Retirement
Retirement
benefits should not affect the amount you receive under
workers' compensation. Sometimes, however, there are
instances where an unsuspecting worker gets benefits
reduced upon retirement. Know the details of your pension
agreement so that you don't lose all that is coming to
you.There is a critical difference between workplace
injuries and other accident cases. Accident cases are
governed by the tort laws. "Tort" means civil
wrong, as opposed to criminal wrong. When a person commits
a civil wrong he is obliged to pay civil damages to the
person or persons injured by his act. Tort cases are based
on a fault system. If an injured person can prove that
some other person was at fault, that the fault caused an
accident, and that the accident caused him an injury, then
he is entitled to recover his full measure of damages.
The full measure of damages includes an allowance for pain
and suffering and loss of life's pleasures. These are often
called "general damages." It also includes compensation for
all out-of-pocket losses such as medical bills, property
damage, and lost wages. There are two problems with applying
the fault-based system to workplace injuries: First, many
industrial accidents happen without the fault of the
employer. In those cases, the injured worker is left with
nothing and has no remedy at law. Second, in order to prove
fault, you need evidence. Evidence of fault usually consists
of testimony by witnesses to the accident. In many cases the
only witnesses to on-the-job accidents are other employees.
If
you have been injured while on the job, please consider
contacting Epperly & Follis, P.C. Even if you are
already receiving benefits, it may be to your advantage to
consult an experienced attorney to ensure that you are
receiving the maximum benefits available under the law.
Epperly & Follis is a
law firm specializing in catastrophic personal injury
cases against major defendants such as nursing homes,
hospitals, insurance companies, product manufacturers,
corporations and municipalities. If you feel that you have
the basis for workplace injuries suit, it is important to
contact an attorney immediately. Epperly & Follis will
outline the documentation required, the decisions that
must be made, and will continue to guide you through the
legal process. Call us today at 1-888-703-0109 or
(804) 648-6480,
or contact
us via our online Contact
Form.
|
