On-the-job injuries can leave workers with significant medical bills and lengthy recovery periods, causing them to miss work and lose income. Unfortunately, work injuries are relatively common in Kentucky, with over 39,000 cases occurring in a single year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data also shows that the most dangerous industries in the state are natural resources and mining.
If you suffered an injury at work, contact Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer for a free consultation with a lawyer for workplace injuries in Lexington, KY.
Top Reasons for Selecting Our Lexington Work Injury Attorneys
At Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer, our Lexington work injury attorneys handle claims from all angles. Whether your case involves a third-party personal injury lawsuit, workers’ compensation claim, or Social Security disability benefits, our team can help you seek the maximum money you deserve for your injuries.
When you work with us, you’ll speak directly with the lawyer handling your case. The lawyers you see on TV are the same lawyers who’ll be working with you on your case. We are real lawyers who advertise, not advertisers who happen to have law degrees.
Other benefits of working with our Lexington attorneys are:
- 24/7 availability
- Free consultations
- No fees unless we recover money for you
- Over $400 million recovered for our clients
See what our past clients have said about working with our compassionate team of work injury lawyers. For example, one previous client wrote:
“Highly recommend this group. Great communication, very professional, always there to answer any question I had. Would definitely use them again if needed!” – Ronnie H.
What Constitutes a Work Injury in Lexington, Kentucky?
The main criterion for determining whether an injury is a “work injury” in Kentucky is establishing whether the injury occurred in the course and scope of your employment. If your injury didn’t occur while you were working or on work property, it may not qualify as a work injury.
Depending on the cause of your work injury, it could lead to a workers’ compensation claim or a third-party personal injury lawsuit. Third-party personal injury lawsuits apply when someone causes your injury and they are someone other than your employer or co-workers. That could be, for example, a customer, contractor, or another motorist if your job involves driving and you were injured in a crash.
In Lexington, some of the most common work injury categories are:
- Acute injuries – These are sudden, traumatic injuries like falls, crushing injuries, or burns.
- Repetitive stress injuries – These injuries build up over time due to repeatedly performing the same motion. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a typical example.
- Cumulative trauma injuries – These injuries worsen over time but are not caused by repetitive motions. Hearing loss is an injury of this type.
- Occupational diseases – These are diseases that workers contract due to their work environment. An example would be coal workers who contract black lung.
What to Do After Getting an Injury at Work
After suffering an injury at work, you should take the following steps to protect your right to seek compensation for your losses:
- Contact our work injury lawyers. The best way to protect your rights is to contact our lawyers for work-related injuries. We are ready to handle your case while you recover.
- Report the injury. You must report your work injury to your employer as soon as possible. That is required to seek workers’ compensation benefits in Kentucky.
- Seek medical treatment. Always seek medical treatment and follow up with all doctor’s visits until you fully recover.
- Document the incident. Take photographs of your visible injuries and any hazardous work conditions that contributed to them. It’s also a good idea to write down everything you remember about the incident.
What Compensation Can I Receive from a Work Injury Claim?
The compensation you can receive after a work injury depends on whether you’re filing a workers’ compensation claim or a third-party personal injury lawsuit.
Workers’ Compensation Claims
Through a workers’ compensation claim, you can receive various benefits, including partial wage replacement, coverage of medical expenses, disability benefits, and death benefits if your loved one died as a result of their work injuries.
Wage replacement benefits in Kentucky typically cover up to two-thirds of your average weekly wage up to the state maximum for the year. If you can work in a reduced capacity while you recover, you can receive two-thirds of the difference between your pre- and post-injury wages.
Third-Party Personal Injury Lawsuits
Third-party liability claims allow victims to seek additional compensation not available in workers’ compensation claims, such as compensation for pain and suffering and complete coverage of lost wages. Through a lawsuit, you can also seek compensation for your past and future medical expenses.
Unlike the no-fault workers’ compensation system, third-party personal injury claims require claimants to prove the third party was negligent in causing the accident that injured you.
What Is the Process for Seeking Compensation for a Workplace Injury?
The process of seeking compensation for a Lexington workplace injury differs depending on whether you are filing a workers’ comp claim or personal injury lawsuit. However, the general process involves the following steps:
- File your claim or lawsuit. If you are filing a workers’ compensation claim, you typically have two years to officially file your claim as long as you report the injury as soon as possible. For injury lawsuits, you have one year to file, except in the case of a car accident. After a car crash, you have two years to file your lawsuit.
- Await a response. After filing your claim or lawsuit, you wait for the insurance company’s response.
- Negotiate with the insurance company. If the response isn’t adequate, your lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company to seek a favorable settlement.
- Take your case before an administrative law judge or to trial. If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, your lawyer can take your workers’ comp case before an administrative law judge for a hearing. If it’s a third-party personal injury case, your lawyer can take your case to trial.
- Appeal an unfavorable decision. The ALJ’s decision may be appealed within 30 days. Your lawyer can also file an appeal after a trial in certain circumstances.
How Can a Lexington Work Injury Lawyer Help Me?
If you were injured on the job in Lexington, contact the law firm of Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer at (877) 809-5352 or reach out online now for a free initial consultation with a Kentucky workplace accident attorney. We are ready to analyze your situation and discuss your best legal options for seeking maximum compensation from every available source.
