Lutherville Law Enforcement Officers Injury Attorney
Law enforcement officers file many workers’ compensation claims. The nature of the job means that police officers are often in dangerous places and face risks that the average citizen would not encounter. Injured law enforcement workers must have the opportunity to collect the compensation they need following an on-the-job accident.
If you are a law enforcement worker in Lutherville, Maryland, and you were injured in the course of your job, you have the right to collect workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits can cover many of the expenses related to your injury.
While workers’ compensation is in place to support injured workers, many law enforcement officers find that making their claim is more complicated than they would originally have suspected. Claimants can face denials, or the benefits offered might not cover as much as they should.
If you were injured as a law enforcement worker in Lutherville, Maryland, contact Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP to discuss your claim and your right to recover for your injuries. Our Lutherville-based workers’ compensation attorneys are here to ensure that you get the help you need. Call 410-769-5400 to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys.
What Makes Lutherville, Maryland, Police Officer Workers’ Claims Different?
In Maryland, police officers can collect workers’ compensation and are entitled to some benefits not available to other workers. In general, employees in Maryland have the right to recover workers’ compensation if they sustained an injury that took place in the course of their job. Such benefits are not available to independent contractors, but anyone who is an employee should be eligible for such benefits.
After determining that a worker qualifies for benefits, the next step is to decide if the injury qualifies for workers’ compensation. Some claims are denied because the injured individual cannot prove that the injury was related to his or her job. Such challenges to workers’ compensation are not uncommon, and they can complicate the process and delay benefits for workers who need support. Police officers have some notable advantages in getting insurers to approve claims.
Workers’ compensation applies not only to injuries but also to illnesses. While various jobs can lead to illnesses, proving that a condition is the result of work can be difficult. When police officers develop certain conditions, there is a presumption that the illness is related to their job.
Conditions presumed to be job-related for police officers and other people working in qualifying public safety positions include:
- High blood pressure or hypertension
- Some kinds of cancer
- Heart disease, including cardiac arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, and sudden heart failure
Claims for these conditions will even apply for retired law enforcement workers, sometimes even years after leaving their positions.
The coverage for these workers is also higher for police officers than that which other employees can collect for their injuries. If a work-related ailment leads to the death of the officer, then that officer’s family can often recover death benefits.
The workers’ compensation system has a great deal to offer police officers and their families. However, the system can be complicated, and injured workers may wish to contact an attorney to discuss the best options for recovering compensation.
Workers’ Compensation is a No-Fault System
Workers’ compensation benefits are available to injured workers even when their injuries are the result of a simple accident and not another person’s wrongful or negligent accidents. While we might think of typical police officer injuries resulting from an assault or an injury caused in a car crash, many ways people are hurt on the job are less dramatic. A slip and fall on a wet floor in the police station can lead to a workers’ compensation claim as well.
There is no need to prove that the injury is the result of another person’s negligence. All you have to show is that you were hurt in the course of your job. If you are not sure whether your injury is covered, contact a Lutherville workers’ compensation attorney to discuss your claim.
What Benefits Can I Collect through Workers’ Compensation in Lutherville, Maryland?
Workers’ compensation will cover the following:
- Medical bills resulting from the injury
- Income replacement while you are unable to work
- Costs for retraining if you cannot perform your old job
- Death benefits for family members
It is important to note that pain and suffering damages are not included in workers’ compensation benefits. In a personal injury lawsuit, the non-economic damages tend to make for much larger payouts. The trade-off for being covered by workers’ compensation is that the injured workers recover lower total payouts on claims than they would in a successful lawsuit. However, worker’s compensation is a faster and more certain way to receive benefits, when the system works as it should.
Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP Can Help You
The dedicated attorneys at Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP can help you through the process of filing a Lutherville law enforcement workers’ compensation claim. Call us today at 410-769-5400 to schedule a free consultation.
