TOP RATED OHIO WORKERS' COMPENSATION ATTORNEY
Have you sustained a workplace injury?
Suffering an injury while on the job can put you in financial distress. Luckily, Ohio has various laws that protect employees who are hurt at work and provides for lost wages, payment of medical bills, disability payments, and job retraining programs.
Despite the existence of these laws, too often, the employer, or the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation itself, will routinely deny an injured workers’ rightful benefits. If you have been hurt at work, call our office for the support and counsel of an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer so that you can secure the monetary and medical benefits you deserve.
Give us a call at (216) 990-7951 to discuss your workers’ compensation claim today.
What counts as a Workers’ Compensation Injury?
A compensable workplace injury includes any injury, whether caused by external accidental means or accidental in character and result, received in the course of, and arising out of, the injured employee’s employment. The test is whether a causal connection existed between an employee’s injury and his/her employment either through the activities, the conditions or environment of the employment.
The definition of a workplace injury is expansive and allows workers to participate in the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Fund for not only acute injuries such as broken bones or herniated discs, but also includes conditions that develop over long periods of time such as carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, and lung diseases.
What Kinds of Benefits Are Available to Injured Workers?
The Ohio workers’ compensation system provides both medical and monetary benefits to aid an injured worker in medical recovery, and will provide benefits for the loss of income a worker may suffer from the work injuries. The types of benefits available under Ohio BWC include:
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Death benefits
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Permanent Total Disability benefits
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Temporary Total Disability benefits
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Permanent Partial Disability benefits
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Loss of Use Awards / Amputation Awards
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Working Wage Loss / Non-Working Wage Loss Benefits
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Payment of Medical Bills
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation does not award benefits for pain and suffering. However, compensation for losses like pain and suffering may be recovered if you can successfully prove that a third party’s negligence or wrongdoing was in some way responsible for your injuries.
Does it matter whose fault it was?
No, it does not matter if the injured worker was negligent in causing the accident/injuries or if the employer was negligent. The Ohio workers’ compensation system is a “no-fault” system, meaning that an injured worker does not have to prove the employer (or anyone else) committed an act, or failed to commit an act, that caused the injury. The injured worker must only show that the injury occurred while in the course and scope of the employment to have a compensable Ohio BWC claim.
Should you Hire a Workers' Compensation Attorney?
Yes, I would encourage every injured worker to retain an experienced workers' compensation attorney, even for minor injuries. Ohio’s workers’ Compensation system can be complex and knowing the nuances may be the difference between getting your benefits paid or having your claim denied. Once a final decision is made in a workers compensation claim (such as to deny lost wages or medical treatment), the decision generally cannot be undone. It is important that things are done correctly and having an experienced attorney on your side will give you the leg up you need.
In addition, workers' compensation lawyers that represent Ohio BWC Claimants do so on a contingency fee basis and do not require an injured worker to give them any money to start working on the case. And then you only pay if you win your case. Injured workers really have everything to gain and nothing to lose by hiring a workers' compensation attorney.
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Hire a Qualified Workers’ Compensation Attorney today
If you have been hurt at work and need assistance obtaining workers’ compensation benefits, contact Ronald J. Schafer, Esq., Gallo & Gallo Co., LPA. We have helped thousands of clients receive millions in benefits. Call today for a free, no obligation, telephone consultation.
