Maryland Communication Workers Injury Attorney
Communications work involves a wide variety of occupations. The Communications Workers of America is a union that was originally created to protect telephone operators, as those workers faced low wages and worked in notoriously poor conditions. Now telecommunications workers, broadcast news employees, newspaper workers, and various industrial workers are all included in that union.
The variety of professions that fall under this huge umbrella makes it difficult to generalize injuries that these workers may experience on the job. However, every job has some degree of risk for employees. Workers’ compensation is a system designed to protect employees who sustain work-related injuries, regardless of fault. Under this system, workers can collect compensation for their injuries, even if they accidentally caused harm to themselves. Workers’ compensation is a way to prevent an injury that takes place on the job from leaving workers without a means to support or care for themselves and their families.
While the system is intended to cover most work-related injuries and illnesses and prevent employees and their employers from spending resources on lengthy and contentious litigation, the system often proves more challenging than one would hope. If you suffered a work-related injury, contact the experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP to discuss your claim. Our Maryland workers’ compensation lawyers have been working for decades to protect the rights of injured workers. Call us today at 410-769-5400 to schedule a consultation.
Communications Injuries and Illnesses Covered by Workers’ Compensation
It is difficult to group injuries to communications workers into any specific category, as the employees perform such a wide range of work-related tasks. The risks and injuries vary a great deal among these professions. In Maryland, the injury must take place in the “course of” the person’s employment.
When we think of workplace injuries, the first thing that comes to mind is likely a single-accident event, such as a fall or a person being struck by an object. In the case of workers’ compensation, injuries caused in a traumatic accident are covered even if the employee accidentally caused the injury through his or her actions. In many cases, the injury resulting from a one-time accident will be fairly easily linked to the work-related incident.
Other types of injuries are caused by long-term, cumulative damage. These injuries could include harm from sitting in the same position for years or lifting objects repeatedly over a long period of time. We refer to these long-term cumulative injuries as occupational diseases. Examples include carpal tunnel syndrome and hearing loss. Since these conditions develop overtime they can be challenging claims to pursue and require strong medical evidence to show that the disease was caused by the employment and that the risk for developing the disease is naturally inherent in the employment.
In either type of injury, be sure to keep detailed records of any harm caused to you, as well as any diagnosis and medical treatment resulting from that injury. Include information regarding any other workers or supervisors who may be aware of your injury. Never delay notifying your employer, as there are often strict deadlines for filing a claim.
What Compensation Can I Recover?
If you sustained an injury on the job that qualifies for Maryland workers’ compensation benefits, the followed benefits should be covered under the claim:
- Medical care (including hospitalizations, medications, durable medical equipment, and prosthetics)
- lost wages
- Mileage reimbursement
- Vocational training or rehabilitation
- Compensation for permanent disability
- Death benefits for family members in the case of a work-related fatality
It is important to remember that a workers’ compensation claim is not a personal injury lawsuit, and the compensation available differs between these systems. In workers’ compensation claims, you cannot recover for your pain and suffering. The benefits are less than those available in a lawsuit, but the chances of recovering are greater in a workers’ compensation claim.
The types of benefits will vary based on your individual case. It is a good idea to understand what benefits you qualify for in order to ensure that you get the help to which you are entitled, and also so that you do not accrue costs that are not going to be covered.
Speaking to a Maryland workers’ compensation attorney can help you recover the maximum available benefits. Your attorney will know how to navigate the workers’ compensation system work with the insurer on your behalf.
What Happens if My Claim is Denied?
If the workers’ compensation commission denies your claim for benefits, you have the right to file an appeal. You only have thirty days to file your appeal, though, so do not hesitate to act. There are several reasons that your claim might have been denied. The reason could be procedural if you filled out the forms incorrectly or did not file on time. Other times the insurer believes that the injury was not work-related or that you are filing a false claim. In any case, your best chance of a successful appeal will involve hiring a Maryland workers’ compensation attorney.
Call Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP for Help with Maryland Workers’ Compensation Claims
At Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP, our dedicated workers’ compensation attorneys have been fighting for the rights of injured workers for more than 30 years. Call us at 410-769-5400 to speak to one of our dedicated Maryland workers’ compensation attorneys today.
