Evansville Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Providing Compassionate Legal Assistance to Injured Workers with the Workers’ Compensation Claims Process Across the Evansville, Indiana Area

After suffering an injury at work, you might be confused and unsure of the next steps. Aside from the stress, you are likely facing mounting medical bills and lost time at work, resulting in lost income. Fortunately, you may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Gerling Law is ready to help you.

Our Evansville attorneys have decades of combined experience representing individuals and families with complex workers’ compensation cases. We will also explore the possibilities of helping you recover temporary total disability benefits or filing a personal injury lawsuit against negligent third parties.

If you’ve suffered serious injuries on the job, workers’ compensation should provide medical care and other benefits to help you get through the difficult time when you are unable to return to work. The process for obtaining satisfactory compensation can be challenging, however, so we encourage you to contact our Evansville law office to schedule your free initial consultation with our legal team today.

What Should You Do if You Were Injured at Work?

Your first order of business after suffering an injury at work should be to seek immediate medical attention from an authorized doctor or other medical professional. You must inform the doctor that you were injured on the job and then follow all of the doctor’s instructions to the letter.

You mustn’t delay in notifying your employers or management staff of your workplace injuries. Injured workers who wait longer than 30 days to report workplace accidents to their employers may be barred from recovering workers’ compensation benefits.

Once you are physically able, you should send a written letter to your company’s human resources department to inform them of how the accident occurred and the severity of your injuries. Keep copies of all communication with your company’s representatives.

Once the workers’ compensation claim process begins, keep copies of all correspondence with your employer and their insurance company provider. You should also request a copy of the official accident report, which was filed with the Indiana Workers’ Compensation Board.

Before accepting any compensation for medical bills, wage replacement, or other expenses, you should contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation with our Evansville lawyers. Our experienced legal team can assist you with filing your claim, disputing arguments presented by the defendants, and appealing any denied claims.

What Are Indiana’s Workers’ Compensation Laws?

Workers’ comp is a type of insurance employers provide for employees to protect them in the event of an on-the-job accident or work-related illness. If you’ve suffered an injury on the job, workers’ compensation can help cover the costs of your injuries and provide financial help for lost wages.

Workers’ comp benefits can help cover the following:

Medical expenses
Costs of ongoing care
Disability
Lost wages

And should an employee pass away due to work-related injuries, workers’ compensation will also cover funeral expenses.

If you are an employee covered by workers’ compensation insurance and suffer a workplace injury, you may only seek compensation through workers’ comp benefits. In most circumstances, the law does not allow you to sue your employer for compensation if workers’ comp covers your injuries.

But the workers’ compensation process can be challenging to navigate alone. Having the help of workers’ comp lawyers in Evansville, Indiana, can give you peace of mind knowing your claim is in the right hands.

What Are Common Causes for Workplace Accidents?

Different types of employment have varying levels of risk for the workers on-site. However, even the safest line of employment can still result in serious injuries to workers in unforeseen incidents.

Common workplace accidents that affect employees and independent contractors include the following:

Construction site accidents, which frequently result in injured workers suffering catastrophic injuries and other forms of pain and suffering
Warehouse accidents, such as slip and fall accidents, forklift crashes, repetitive muscle strain, and being struck by falling objects
Heavy machinery incidents, including those that result from defective equipment
Service industry incidents, such as employment in restaurants, hotels, resorts, retail stores, and hospitals
Motor vehicle accidents can also affect workers if they were injured on the job in a car crash
Falls from great heights, such as falling from faulty scaffolding, defective ladders, or ineffective hand and guardrails
Repetitive motion and overexertion injuries, which can be commonplace in various industries
Explosions, fires, burns, and smoke inhalation, which can be more common in industrial jobs and construction work
And more

Indiana’s workers’ compensation covers employees injured at work, but it does not identify independent contractors by their title. If you were injured at work as an independent contractor, various factors must be met to determine whether you are eligible for benefits. Contact our law firm for legal guidance.

Can Injured Employees Sue Their Employers?

While you cannot directly sue your employer for recovery after a workplace accident and injury, you may have a claim against a third party. If a third party plays a role in your accident or injury, you may have the opportunity to seek compensation by filing a claim against them.

It is advisable to consult with a qualified workers’ compensation attorney regarding your case. Your lawyer will gather details, ask all the right questions, and handle your claim all the way through, working diligently to get you fair compensation.

What Are the Most Common Workplace Injuries?

Workplace accidents can result in a variety of injuries.

Some of the most common injuries include the following:

Fractured and broken bones
Joint injuries
Head and neck injuries
Back injuries
Spinal cord injuries and paralysis

Suppose you’ve suffered an injury while on the job, you have a right to seek workers’ compensation benefits. Aside from seeking medical treatment, your first step should always be to report your accident to your immediate supervisor or employer. They will then initiate the claims process. After reporting the incident, seek assistance from an Evansville workers’ comp attorney.

What Are Your Legal Options to Appeal a Denied Claim?

There are many reasons why workers’ compensation insurance companies or employers may seek to deny your claim. Perhaps they may point to a pre-existing condition that you had or attempt to establish that you were the primary cause of the accident. Other reasons for denied claims include a lack of supporting medical records, non-compensable injuries, and failure to file a workers’ compensation claim within the statutory time limit.

Regardless of why your employer or their insurance company denies your workers’ compensation claim, you have legal options to appeal those decisions. When appealing a denied workplace injury claim, you should seek the professional legal assistance of experienced attorneys well-versed in these practice areas.

Contact our Evansville law firm to schedule your free consultation with our legal team today, and we can discuss your questions and concerns regarding appealing a denied claim.

How Can Our Evansville Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Assist You?

Workers’ compensation claims are complicated, but an attorney can help you navigate the process.

Your attorney will help you from start to finish by:

Explaining the process and benefits
Gathering all relevant information and documentation
Negotiating with the insurance company for a fair settlement
Representing you at a hearing, if necessary

Handling your claim alone may feel overwhelming, and you may be unsure of the benefits to which you are entitled. But when your workers’ comp claim is in the hands of an experienced attorney, you can be confident that they are working toward the fairest resolution for you.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with Our Experienced Evansville Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Today

Gerling Law has been helping clients who have been injured on the job for over 60 years. Our firm operates on strong core values, meaning we prioritize clients and their needs, work with integrity, and are committed to the quality of our work and client relationships. We understand the challenges you face, and we’re ready to help you. Contact us today, and let’s begin working together.

Please get in touch with us at 812-213-4551 to schedule your free consultation today.