According to recent reports from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 5,000 workers are killed on the job annually. Over 13 workers die each day as the result of a work related injury. The most common cause for work related fatalities, excluding truck and car collisions, were on the job falls followed by being struck by objects, like equipment and machinery, and electrocution. The most common private sector industry where workers suffer injuries and fatalities is the construction industry.
Workers that are statistically most likely to suffer workplace injuries are those that work in the industrial and construction settings, such as plant workers and those exposed to toxic chemicals, but injuries caused from picking up office supplies or falling while on the job can also qualify for workers compensation benefits.
Experience Matters
The law of workers compensation in Tennessee can be complex and the laws have significantly changed in recent years. For this reason, choosing a firm with experience in this area of the law can make all of the difference. Our lawyers combined have over 40 years of experience in representing injured workers. We have experience with various types of workplace injuries and deaths, including falls, industrial accidents, workplace burns, equipment and machinery accidents, assaults, falling objects, asbestos exposure resulting in mesothelioma, benzene exposure and other toxic chemical exposures in the workplace.
Common Workplace Injuries
The following are some examples of the types of injuries our firm has seen as a result of workplace accident:
- Knee, Hip, and Leg Injuries such as fractures and torn ligaments;
- Neck & Back Injuries such as ruptured discs and nerve damage;
- Severe Burns;
- Traumatic Brain Injuries;
- Lung Disease and Pulmonary Disorders;
- Mesothelioma and Asbestosis;
- Cancer;
- Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis;
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD);
- Loss of limbs and eyes; and
- Arm and Shoulder Injuries such as fractures, rotator cuff tears, and nerve damage.
Benefits and Compensation
In Tennessee, workers compensation laws afford several rights to workers who are injured on the job. Employees who suffer an injury on the job may be entitled to multiple forms of compensation ranging from temporary, periodic payments for any time he/she is temporarily disabled, provision of medical treatment payment of any medical expenses, and payments for any permanent disabilities the worker may sustain. In the situation where an employee suffers death as the result of any on the job injury, the worker’s surviving spouse and children may be entitled to recover benefits for funeral and burial, medical expenses, and payments for some of the wages the worker would have earned had the incident not occurred. Tennessee employers are required by law to carry workers compensation insurance. Employers pay workers compensation insurance premiums to protect their workers, and an employee injured on the job has a right to seek fair compensation. We know how to force the insurance companies to pay employees fair compensation.
To claim workers compensation benefits, a worker must give notice of their injury to his or her employer in writing as soon as possible in order to protect his or her rights.
If your employer's insurance company refuses to provide you with medical care, disability benefits or a suitable settlement for your disability, our attorneys will make them do what’s right. Our firm has extensive experience litigating workers compensation cases. We use various experts at trial to show exactly how you were injured and how those injuries and disabilities will result in lost earnings to you and your family.