Houston Workplace Injury Lawyers
If you are hurt at work, you may not have all the same rights as those who are injured outside of their jobs, depending on whether your employer chooses to carry workers’ compensation insurance. In some cases, though, Texas law may limit your ability to sue for compensation. Either way, a Houston workplace injury lawyer can help you build and develop your case so that you are not stuck with unpaid medical bills and lost wages.
Texas Employers do Not Have to Carry Insurance
Texas is different from a lot of other states when it comes to how workplace injuries are compensated. In most states, employers are required to carry mandatory workers’ compensation insurance. In exchange for that requirement, employees who get hurt on the job are prohibited from suing their employers for compensation. Instead, those employees must bring a claim before a state workers’ compensation agency or commission. In Texas, however, employers can choose whether to carry such insurance. If they do, then an injured worker is required to submit a claim to the insurance carrier and resolve differences through the Division of Workers’ Compensation (a division of the State Department of Insurance). If, however, the employer chooses not to carry insurance, then the injured worker can bring a lawsuit directly against the employer for injuries.
Injured Houston Workers are Entitled to Receive Compensation
Injured workers can receive the following types of compensation under workers’ compensation laws:
- Temporary or permanent disability payments
- Medical expenses
- Lost income and wages
- Other compensation, depending on the case
If there is no insurance and you must sue to get compensation, you may be entitled to even more money through a regular civil action, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Future pain and suffering
- Lost enjoyment of life
- Future medical expenses
- Punitive damages (very rare)
Losing a Job For Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Employers are prohibited from terminating a worker just for filing a claim for an injury. Of course, there are cases in which termination may be unavoidable, such as when the injury makes the person unable to perform the job. In this situation, the employer is responsible not only for the injury, but also for the lost income due to the injury.
Experienced Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
When a person loses a job or is no longer able to work because of a serious or permanent injury at work, it can hurt the whole family, especially if the injured person is the sole breadwinner for the family. When regular income stops, many families find they face losing their homes, vehicles, health insurance, and other essentials. If you have been hurt on the job, you need to put an experienced Houston workers’ compensation lawyer to work right away. The sooner you get help, the sooner your lawyer may be able to get your employer’s insurance carrier to begin making payments for temporary disability and paying medical bills on your behalf. Insurance companies and employers often try to say that workers are not really employees and therefore should not be covered by insurance. In other cases, they may try to blame your injuries on you rather than acknowledge that you were hurt trying to make money for your company. Do not let your employer deny your claim, or try to send you to their doctor without first calling The Oweyssi Law Firm to discuss your rights. The call is free and completely confidential, so you have nothing to lose. Call today or contact the firm online to learn more.
