Maryland Workers' Compensation Lawyers

Waldorf Workers' Compensation

Maryland employees injured while on the job or that become ill as a result of their job are entitled to Maryland workers' compensation benefits under state law. These benefits provide relief for injured workers and their families from the financial strain of not being able to work for a length of time as well as for treatment of their injuries. If a worker sustains a fatal injury that is compensable, family members may be eligible to receive the victim's workers' compensation benefits.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that nonfatal workplace illnesses and injuries declined in 2009 to a rate of 3.6 cases per 100 equivalent full-time (EFT) workers in the private industry, which was down from 3.9 cases per 100 EFT workers in 2008. Additionally, the number of nonfatal occupational illnesses and injuries in 2009 declined, with 3.3 million cases reported in 2009, compared to 3.7 million cases in 2008. Every year since 2003, the total recordable case (TRC) illness and injury incidence rate at private workplaces has significantly declined. However, in 2009, there were about 863,000 illness and injury cases reported among local and state government workers, at a rate of about 5.8 cases per 100 EFT workers, which is considerably higher than the rate for private industry employees.

In Maryland, employees are granted legal protection and rights if they suffer a workplace injury or illness under the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) Act. The Act ensures that employers are following state and federal rules and regulations to provide employees the safest workplaces possible. However, it is unfortunately a sad fact of life that workplace injuries and illnesses do occur, regardless of protections that are in place. Oftentimes employers overlook safety regulations for profit at the expense of their employees' health and safety.

According to Maryland Workers' Compensation Law, injuries that are eligible for benefits are those that are an "accidental personal injury arising out of and in the course of employment." This phrase is crucial. Just because an employee is injured at work does not mean they necessarily are granted workers' compensation benefits. The injury needs to have been determined to be the result of an accident, which Maryland considers to be "a sudden unusual or extraordinary event that causes an unexpected result," with bodily injury to an employee termed as the unexpected result. Workplace injuries that are not under this categorization may be covered by a company's general insurance policy but may not be able to be compensated under Maryland's Workers' Compensation Law.

Occupational diseases are exceptions to the state's accident requirement, which are illnesses that are caused "by the nature of the circumstances surrounding the worker's job." For instance, long-term contact with certain chemicals on the job may result in a worker suffering forms of eye, skin, or lung diseases. Maryland employees who have suffered an occupational disease may be able to receive workers' compensation benefits.

Any worker in Maryland who believes they have suffered a work injury that is covered under Maryland's Workers' Compensation Law can file a claim with the Workers' Compensation Commission. There are certain time limits to filing a claim, and it is recommended that you consult with an experienced Maryland workers' compensation attorney before filing your claim. It can be difficult to work with an employer's insurance company, and often they will attempt to downplay your claim in order to save on costs. A lawyer with experience in handling workers' compensation claims in Maryland can help you properly file your claim as well as talk with insurance companies on your behalf.

If you have been injured while at work, or have become ill as a result of your job, you have legal rights. Insurance companies are notoriously difficult to deal with, and can often leave injured victims confused and unsure of their options in pursuing a workers' compensation claim in Maryland. At Alpert Schreyer, LLC our Waldorf work injury attorneys can help you through this difficult time and build a strong case on your behalf while you recover from your work injury. Call our law office today at (301) 932-9997 or toll free at (800) 489-1577.

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From our offices in Waldorf, Bowie and California, Maryland our personal injury lawyers handle cases throughout the entire state of Maryland, including the Eastern Shore of Maryland, including the counties of Montgomery County, Howard County, Prince George’s County, Anne Arundel County, Calvert County, Charles County and Frederick County, as well as the cities of Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Upper Marlboro, Columbia, Ellicott City, Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Bowie, College Park, Greenbelt, LaPlata, Oxon Hill and Waldorf