Workers’ compensation is a necessity for when employees are injured on the job through no fault of their own. But when things get complicated or your employer’s insurance tries to deny your claim, an attorney can help you get the compensation you need.
Injuries at work are not relegated to physical jobs either. Morgan & Morgan’s Nashville workers’ comp attorneys represented a crossing guard for an elementary school who was hit by an SUV. With our help, she received a settlement of $125,000. At Morgan & Morgan, we’re understanding of the stress you are under and put your well-being first as we seek the benefits you are entitled to.
If you have been injured at the workplace, you need a powerful advocate on your side to help you recover the compensation your injury warrants. Contact one of Morgan & Morgan’s skilled Memphis workers’ compensation lawyers by filling out the free, no-obligation case review.
Common Workplace Injuries
Any job has the risk of physical injury. Whatever workplace injury you’ve been through and whatever medical treatment you require, at Morgan & Morgan we’re willing to help for all of them. Our workers’ compensation attorneys have handled claims involving injuries such as:
- Fractured limbs
- Torn ligaments
- Torn rotator cuffs
- Herniated disks
- Concussions
- Brain injuries
- Ulcers
- Carpal tunnel
- Tendonitis
- Hearing loss
- Sickness from exposure to toxins
- Electric shock
- Burns
- Black Lung
- Cold and heat stress
- Injuries from falling objects
- Various injuries to the shoulder, back, spinal cord, eyes, knees, neck, hip, respiratory organs, ankles, wrists, feet, and hands
How Workers’ Compensation Works in Tennessee
Wondering if your employer offers workers’ compensation insurance? The general rule according to Tennessee’s workers’ comp law is that employers with five or more employees (both full-time and part-time) are required to offer the insurance; the exceptions are construction and mining employers, which require workers’ compensation insurance no matter how many employees there are.
Smaller and exempt companies are not required to offer workers’ compensation insurance, though it is still possible they offer it. If you want official verification, Tennessee has an insurance verification website called the Employers’ Workers’ Compensation Coverage Verification to help you determine if you’re offered insurance. If your employer does not have workers’ comp, employees injured while at work may file a lawsuit to recover damages for their injuries.
In order to be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits, you must report your injury to your employer as soon as possible; specifically, either within 30 days of the injury or 30 days of a doctor visit. Once it has been reported and your workers’ compensation claim has begun, your employer should provide you a panel of 3 or more doctors for you to choose from. This doctor will provide you medical treatment at your employer’s expense, and will determine if your injuries were work-related.
Sometimes, you may have to deal with the insurance company directly, in which case the information should be part of the resources you are provided with at work. If it is not posted, this information can be gathered by contacting the Memphis workers’ compensation office at 901-543-6077 or by e-mailing the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development at wc.info@tn.gov.
How a Lawyer Can Help After a Workplace Injury
The ideal situation of workers’ compensation is that each side benefits
- you get medical treatment, and your employer avoids a lawsuit. Even then, it can be helpful to have an attorney guide you through the process to make things as stress-free as possible.
Many companies and their insurance carriers, however, will try to deny or minimize compensation paid to employees injured at work. They can do this by making claims that the injury happened outside the workplace, or that your report exaggerated how severe your injury is. There are many different ways a company can try to dilute your claim to avoid paying more than they want to.
Our workers’ compensation attorneys in Memphis provide legal counsel to help make sure you are treated fairly during the claims process, avoiding the pitfalls that too many others have gone through that resulted in less compensation than they deserved. An experienced attorney can also safeguard you from workplace discrimination, help you recover your sick days and Family Medical Leave time, work on vocational rehabilitation, and assist you in realizing other possibilities under workers’ compensation laws.
Successful Memphis Workers’ Compensation Cases
Here are just a few examples of workers’ compensation cases that Morgan & Morgan took, and the compensation we successfully got for our clients.
- An employee at a factory endured leg and knee injuries after being backed over by a crane. They were awarded a verdict of $180,000.
- A truck driver received a $125,000 settlement after an accident threw them from the sleeper, causing broken vertebrae.
- After an on-the-job limo driver was injured in an accident with a drunk driver, Morgan & Morgan helped get them a settlement of $100,000.
- A prison employee in Shelby County got attacked by an inmate, and the employer’s insurance agreed to a $120,000 settlement.
- $125,000 settlement for a truck driver after improperly loaded lumber fell on her and tore her rotator cuff.
- A construction worker’s hand was caught on a crane cable and injured, and the verdict was $105,000.
- An airplane mechanic suffered a closed head injury which caused a partial loss of vision. The insurance company settled and the mechanic received $125,000 for their treatment.
- $105,000 for a construction worker who fell down an open elevator shaft.
- An elevator repairman was injured on the job by an elevator car, requiring an amputation of a toe. He received a $118,000 settlement.
Contact Morgan & Morgan About Your Claim
Morgan & Morgan’s attorneys are skilled in negotiating workers’ compensation in Memphis, and will provide you with a compassionate and powerful advocate throughout the process. We have a track record of success with our workers’ compensation clients. Contact our Memphis office for a completely free review of your case.