St. Helena Parish Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Suffering from a work-related injury might significantly impair your ability to provide for your family. It may not only be necessary to seek workers’ compensation to support yourself and your family but also to pay for medical bills and other expenses related to the harm you have suffered.
The procedure may make seeking compensation difficult, but a knowledgeable St. Helena workers’ compensation lawyer can help you navigate through the potentially complicated process of seeking workers’ compensation. You are likely stressed enough overcoming your injuries so allow an experienced personal injury attorney to help you discover a path forward to relief.
Workers’ Compensation Eligibility
The purpose of workers’ compensation is to provide financial relief to employees that are injured while carrying out job-related duties. In exchange for receiving workers’ compensation benefits, employees waive their right to sue an employer in court for work-related injuries. However, there are limited exceptions that allow an employee covered by workers’ compensation to sue their employer for damages. Situations where the employer intentionally harms an employee, or when the employee cannot obtain workers’ compensation might give rise to a lawsuit.
Most employees in St. Helena Parish, including state government, corporate, or appointment or contract workers, are eligible for workers’ compensation insurance in Louisiana. The only employees that are not eligible are private residential employees, private unincorporated employees, and performers such as musicians operating under contract.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits in St. Helena Parish
The amount and process in which benefits are distributed depend on the severity of the injuries sustained. Potential disabilities and events that qualify for workers’ compensation benefits in St. Helena Parish include:
- Permanent total disability
- Permanent partial disability
- Temporary partial disability
- Temporary total disability
- Death benefits
For workers that have passed away as a result of a work incident, funeral expenses and death benefits could be disbursed to their surviving spouse or children. Temporary and permanent disabilities relate to how long an employee will be injured and unable to work.
Partial injuries, whether permanent or temporary, prevent an employee from doing their normal job, although they may still be able to do other tasks. Hospital, medical, rehabilitative, and mental injury expenses could be covered under workers’ compensation. Unlike other states, Louisiana does not cap the amount of compensation.
Deadlines for Workers’ Compensation Cases in St. Helena Parish
Louisiana Civil Code §23:1301 requires that employees provide their employers notice of their injuries within 30 days. Failure to give timely notice may bar an employee’s right to receive workers’ compensation benefits.
All claims for workers’ compensation must be made within one to three years of the injury under Louisiana Civil Code §23:1209. If a claim is denied, worker’s compensation claimants may file a disputed claim for compensation in an administrative hearing. A St. Helena Parish workers’ compensation lawyer can help one with filing a claim before the deadline.
How a St. Helena Parish Workers’ Compensation Attorney Could Help
Even when you get injured on the job and have worker’s compensation coverage, there may still be hurdles to overcome. Deadlines, filing requirements, and administrative hearings might be overwhelming when you are already dealing with an injury. A St. Helena Parish workers’ compensation lawyer can review your case and potentially make the process less stressful and confusing. Start exploring your options by scheduling a consultation today.