Workers Compensation Lawyer Cleveland Ohio

If you have suffered a workplace injury in Northeast Ohio or Cleveland, an experienced and skilled Cleveland Workers Compensation Lawyer from Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyers can help you reduce the frustration and inconvenience of filing your claim so that you can focus on your recovery. Our workers’ compensation lawyers can expertly handle all of the deadlines and paperwork that are related to your case and help you obtain the compensation that you are entitled to receive by law.

If you have become sick at work or suffered a workplace injury, if necessary, seek medical care, and report your accident to your employer immediately. Typically, a single event is considered to be a workplace injury, however, an occupational illness is a result of being exposed repeatedly to a hazardous work environment. These diseases can be the result of chemicals, gases, noises, pressure, significant changes in temperatures, radiation, or physical vibrations coming from heavy machinery.

Workers Compensation Attorneys in Cleveland OH

After you have reported your claim to your employer and received medical attention, call Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyers at 833-406-0600. We will help you file all of the necessary forms and develop the right steps to take in order to ensure you obtain full compensation for your illness or injury.

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Why Should I Hire a Cleveland Workers Comp Lawyer?

It is possible to file your workers’ compensation claim on your own without hiring a lawyer, but there are numerous reasons why you can benefit from the Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyers working on your behalf. Workers’ compensation cases are potentially very complex, and we can help to work through situations that are highly detailed, including:

Your Workers Compensation Claim Was Denied

Most workers whose claims are denied do not end up appealing the decision. We at Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyers do not require you to pay an upfront fee and provide you with the best opportunity to obtain fair compensation for the injuries you have sustained.

The Settlement Offer Did not Cover Costs

There are some situations where a settlement offer might not cover all of your lost wages and medical expenses due to injuries you have sustained on the job. Typically, a judge will approve of an agreement provided it is not seen as grossly unfair. The workers’ compensation attorneys on our staff will fight for the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to.

You are Unable to Return to Work Due to the Injury

When you have workers’ compensation disabilities or injuries that prevent you from being able to return to your job or being able to perform any work can be very expensive for an insurance company that might have to pay either weekly payments for life or a large lump sum in order to compensate for your lost wages. If a permanent illness or injury is involved in your claim, it is critical to seek professional advice from an Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyers legal expert. We have a thorough understanding of Ohio law to effectively fight for the compensation that you deserve.

How Do You File an Ohio Workers Compensation Claim?

You might be able to get the claim forms from your employer to submit to your private insurance company or a workers’ compensation claim to file with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). That form is the First Report of Injury (FROI). Before you submit the FROI it is critical to call Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyers and speak with one of our attorneys.

The FROI form is an application to be paid for your injuries from the state insurance fund. You can send the form in by mail or file it online. The form meets the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). You will need to detail the following on the form:

  • A detailed description of your accident
  • Medical diagnoses of your injuries
  • Documentation and medical records showing a direct link with your workplace injuries
  • Any information related to disability

Before you file your claim, it is critical to ensure that you have collected and organized all the relevant information that you need. When you hire Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyer attorneys, our law firm will be able to obtain and review the medical records for you.

How Fast Do I Need to File a Workers Comp Claim in Ohio?

The State of Ohio, effective September 29, 2017, has a one-year statute of limitations to submit workers’ compensation benefits claims by telecommunication or in writing. This one-year time period, which was two years previously, started on the date that the injury was sustained.

The statute of limitations to file a workers’ compensation claim on an occupational disease will vary based on the circumstances of your illness. Call our attorneys at Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyer so that we can review your case.

Due to the strict time frames, it is critical to talk to a workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as you can in order to understand what all of your options are before you proceed. Our lawyers always are available to speak to you if you have been injured on the job.

Am I Eligible for Workers Comp Benefits?

The purpose of workers’ compensation benefits is to ensure that any employee who is injured at work does not suffer financial losses due to their accident. Most employees of businesses that are located in Northeast Ohio and Cleveland are covered by the workers’ compensation system of Ohio since it is required by state law that any business that employs one person or more must be covered by workers’ compensation. Even if you work as an independent contractor in the state of Ohio, you might be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Our lawyers can help you understand what your rights are as a contractor after being injured.

After filing your workers’ compensation claim, your medical records will be evaluated by the Ohio BWC and determine whether or not you were injured while on the job. The BWC and your employer will discuss your potential claim and either refer, deny, or allow the issue to be further adjudicated for the Industrial Commission of Ohio.

How Does Workers Compensation Work in the Result of Death?

If a loved one of yours has died as a result of an occupational disease or workplace injury, all dependents of an employee might be eligible to receive death benefits. In Ohio, a dependent might be a member of the deceased employee’s family or anyone else who is able to establish dependency. You must submit a formal application and then it will be reviewed before a decision is rendered. If the employer or potential dependents disagree with the decision, then there is an option to file an appeal and set up a hearing.

Along with death benefits, other benefits are available that you might be entitled to receive if you are the dependent of a deceased employee who died as a result of a workplace illness or injury. Those benefits are often substantial sums that can help those who are affected the most by the death of an employee. Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyers are available to help you understand what benefits are available to apply to all that you are entitled to receive as a member of the family.

When you are filing a workers’ compensation claim that relates to the death of an employee, timing is critical. Under Ohio law, there is a limited amount of time for a dependent to seek additional benefits. Our attorneys can help you through each phase of the claims process to ensure that you do not miss any deadlines.

What Type of Compensation Can I Expect from a Workers Comp Claim?

Every workers’ compensation case is different and the benefits that might apply to you varies on an individual case basis. The Ohio BWC provides several types of compensation depending on what your qualifications are. Remember that you might qualify for compensation whether or not you missed time on the job due to your injury. The forms of compensation that you might qualify for include the following:

  • Wage Loss: Compensation can be paid to an injured employee who experiences a direct loss in earnings that are a result of restrictions from conditions allowed by the claim
  • Living Maintenance: Compensation can be paid to an injured employee who actively participated in a rehabilitation plan that was approved
  • Temporary Total: Whenever an injured worker becomes totally disabled from being able to work over the short term that has been caused by occupational illness or work-related injured, then compensation might be awarded for wages that have been lost

The Ohio BWC website has a comprehensive list posted of the workers’ compensation categories of benefits that are available.

Hand bandaged after work related injury

Why Are Some Workers Compensation Claims Denied?

After your workers’ compensation claim has been submitted, the Ohio BWC will rule on your claim on whether it is denied or approved. It can be denied for one of these reasons:

  • You did not file your claim on time
  • There are discrepancies between the submitted medical records and your claim
  • You have not provided a thorough account of what occurred
  • Your injured occurred outside of your workplace
  • Your claim is disputed by your employer
  • There is a dispute that relates to your employment status

If your employer has an increased number of workers’ compensation claims may result in higher insurance premiums for the company. That means fighting to have your claim denied is in their financial interest. Your employer might provide a different version of what the facts are that surround your injuries when asks to confirm your claim or attempt to put forth a technicality to have your claim denied.

If your claim gets denied, according to Ohio law, you have just 14 days to get your appeal filed. If you decide to appeal a decision, then a hearing before the Industrial Commission will be scheduled. At the date of your hearing, you will need to bring in several copies of all of the relevant documents that relate to your case. It is strongly recommended to have an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer who is very knowledgeable of Ohio lawyer working on your behalf, such as Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyers, and to be at your hearing, especially since it very likely that your employer will be represented by counsel at the hearing.

Contact Our Workers Comp Attorneys for a Free Consultation

Our attorneys at Ohio Workers Compensation Lawyers provide legal representation to our clients who have sustained workplace accidents throughout the state of Ohio and Cleveland. If you were injured in Cleveland while on the job and want to file a workers’ compensation claim, please call us at 833-406-0600 for your free consultation to find out how we can guide you through the complex workers’ compensation claim process without any obligation.