When you suffer an injury while on the job, it can have a devastating impact on various areas of your life, including work, family, and your physical and mental health. Fortunately, workers’ compensation laws are in place to protect employees who get injured while performing their job duties. If you live and work in Missouri, it is essential that you understand your rights and how the state’s personal injury laws related to workers’ compensation cases work.
Table of Contents
Definition of Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation is an insurance policy that provides benefits to employees who get injured or become ill while performing job-related tasks. Generally, it covers medical expenses, lost wages, and rehabilitation services to help the employee recover from the injury or illness.
Benefits of Workers’ Compensation in Missouri
Missouri workers’ compensation laws protect employees in several ways, including:
Medical Care
Under Missouri law, an employee who gets hurt while performing their job duties is entitled to receive medical care to treat the resulting injury. The employer is responsible for the cost of reasonable and necessary medical treatment, and there is no time limit on how long a worker can receive this benefit.
Income Replacement
If you suffer a work-related injury that causes you to miss work for more than three days, you are entitled to receive income replacement benefits. These benefits are equal to two-thirds of your average weekly wage, which is calculated based on your earnings from the 13 weeks preceding the injury. However, there is a maximum benefit amount per week, which changes every year and is adjusted for inflation.
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits
In some cases, an injury can result in a partial or permanent disability that affects your ability to perform your job duties. In such cases, the employee may be entitled to receive permanent partial disability benefits.
Vocational Rehabilitation
If a job-related injury or illness causes an employee to be unable to perform their previous job duties, vocational rehabilitation may be necessary to help them obtain new skills and find alternative employment. The cost of vocational rehabilitation is covered under Missouri workers’ compensation.
Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Missouri
To file a workers’ compensation claim in Missouri, you must take the following steps:
Report the Injury
You must report your injury to your employer as soon as possible, preferably within 30 days. Failure to do so could result in a loss of benefits.
Seek Medical Care
You should seek medical treatment immediately after your injury. If your employer has a designated healthcare provider, you must see that provider for the first 30 days following your injury. After that, you can choose your healthcare provider.
File the Claim
You must file a written workers’ compensation claim with the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation within two years after your injury. The claim must include specific information about the injury, the date it occurred, and the circumstances surrounding it.
Hiring a Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Missouri
If you are injured on the job in Missouri, you may want to consider hiring a workers’ compensation attorney to represent you. An experienced attorney can help you navigate the claims process and ensure that you receive all the benefits you are entitled to under Missouri law.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you suffer an injury at work in Missouri, you should be aware of your rights under the state’s personal injury laws for workers’ compensation cases. By understanding the benefits available under the law, filing a claim on time, and seeking help from an experienced attorney, you can protect your legal rights and receive the assistance you need to recover from your injury and return to work.