Waterbury Workers' Compensation Attorney
If you have been injured or fallen ill because of your work in Waterbury, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits under Connecticut law. These benefits can include medical treatment, partial wage replacement, and various other forms of compensation.
If you were hurt on the job, it may not be immediately clear how you should go about seeking workers’ compensation benefits for your work-related injury or illness. It’s possible that your claim has been denied or you are receiving less money than what the law says you deserve.
It is important that you understand your rights and options under Connecticut workers’ compensation law so that you don’t miss out on the benefits you are entitled to. Contact our Waterbury workers’ compensation lawyers now for a free claim review.
How to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Waterbury
If you suffer a workplace accident, or realize you are suffering from an injury or illness caused by your job, you begin the workers’ compensation claim process by reporting your injury or illness to your employer.
Your employer will become responsible for any immediate or emergency medical treatment that you need. Your employer should file a report of injury or illness with its workers’ compensation insurer and with the Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commission.
You must file a 30C Form with your nearest district office of the Workers’ Compensation Commission. A 30C Form must be filed within one year of the date of injury, or in the event of a work-related illness, three years from the first date of manifestation of symptoms.
Your employer has 28 calendar days from the receipt of your 30C Form to either dispute your claim for workers’ compensation benefits or to begin paying benefits. Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer will usually require a report from your employer, your wage statement, and a medical report from your treating physician stating that your injury or illness is work-related before it can begin paying workers’ compensation benefits.
How Our Waterbury Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Can Help You
If your employer contests liability or you do not receive all the workers’ compensation you believe you deserve, our Waterbury workers’ compensation lawyers can help you seek the benefits you need. We can contact your employer and its workers’ compensation insurer to try and resolve the dispute over benefits.
Our lawyers can help you file a claim with the Workers’ Compensation Commission to formalize your claim with the state and, if necessary, seek a hearing on your right to benefits. Our attorneys can also collect and organize your medical evidence to demonstrate your injuries and disability from work. We can help you if your employer or its insurer requests you to undergo a medical examination as part of a request to terminate your benefits.
Our attorneys are prepared to vigorously pursue the best outcome to your claim, including filing a court complaint if you receive an unfavorable decision from the Workers’ Compensation Commission. We will aggressive and persuasively advocate on your behalf to seek the workers’ compensation benefits you need and deserve.
What Do Workers’ Comp Benefits Cover?
Under Connecticut law, workers’ compensation benefits can provide an injured or ill worker with various forms of compensation, including:
- Medical treatment covers all expenses to treat a worker’s injury or illness. An employer can designate a facility for treatment, but an employee gets to choose their medical provider, unless the employer has an approved medical care plan that includes a list of approved physicians.
- Temporary partial disability benefits provide a worker who can perform limited duty with wage replacement equal to 75 percent of the after-tax-and-Social Security difference of the worker’s average weekly wage and the wages the worker is receiving.
- Temporary total disability benefits provide coverage if a worker is temporarily disabled from returning to any kind of work. They can receive 75 percent of the after-tax-and-Social Security average weekly wage, based on the 52 weeks prior to the worker’s disability.
- Permanent partial disability benefits are paid to a worker who has suffered a permanent, partial loss of or use of a body part. The exact amount of benefits depend on the body part, the percentage of loss as determined by medical evidence, and the worker’s wages.
- Relapse or recurrence benefits provide benefits to a worker for the period in which they suffer a relapse or recurrence of symptoms from their original work-related injury or illness.
- Discretionary benefits are benefits a workers’ compensation commissioner may grant an injured worker, depending on the circumstances of the case, once the worker has exhausted their statutory benefits.
- Job retraining involves vocational rehabilitation provided by the Workers’ Compensation Commission when a worker cannot return to the type of work that caused their injury or illness.
- Fatality benefits provide compensation when an employee’s death is caused by a work-related illness or injury. A surviving spouse or eligible dependent may be entitled to up to $4,000 in funeral and burial expenses along with weekly wage replacement of 75 percent of the worker’s after-tax average weekly wage.
Deadlines for Workplace Injury Claims in Waterbury
If you suffer an injury in an accident at work, you should immediately report it to your employer. If you suffer what you believe to be a work-related injury or illness outside of an accident at work, you should file a report with your employer as soon as you become aware of your symptoms.
Waiting to file a report with your employer may lead your employer or its workers’ compensation insurer to deny liability or may significantly delay your receipt of workers’ compensation benefits.
You should also file a 30C Form with the Workers’ Compensation Commission. You have one year from the date of the accident that caused your injury, or three years from the first manifestation of symptoms of a work-related illness, to file a 30C Form.
Your employer then has 28 days from receipt of your form to either accept your claim, deny your claim, or begin payment of benefits without prejudice to making a final decision to accept or deny your claim. If you employer fails to take any of these actions within 28 days, your claim is deemed accepted.
What to Do If You’ve Been Hurt on the Job in Waterbury
It is critical to immediately report your injury or illness to your employer so that they can file a report of injury or illness with their workers’ compensation insurer.
If you were injured in a workplace accident, you should try to take photographs or videos of the accident scene and take down the contact information of any eyewitnesses.
You should follow your employer’s instructions to seek medical attention. Once you begin treatment, follow the instructions of your treating physician.
Make sure to file a claim with the Workers’ Compensation Commission within the statutory deadline so that your claim can be officially adjudicated by a commission in the event your employer denies liability or declines to pay you the benefits you believe you are entitled to.
Get help from a qualified lawyer in Waterbury as soon as possible when any issues arise. Even if you are receiving benefits, you should still have an attorney review your claim to make sure you are getting the full amount.
Talk to Our Waterbury Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Now
Contact the workers’ compensation attorneys at Kocian Law Group today to schedule a free consultation and claim review. A member of our Waterbury legal team will discuss your rights and options.
