Accidents and personal injury: Know your rights

Workplace safety has always been a major concern in the United States and one that has been on the radar of personal injury attorneys Virginia Beach.

There’s a very good reason for it too because it provides employers with an idea of how to keep workers safe in the workplace.

In 2017, workplace accidents have been the third leading cause of death in the United States which made up 6% of all deaths for the year. Estimates placed the number at 169,936 people who died from unintentional injuries, with the highest death rates for people aged 75 and older.

The most common types of personal injuries that made up the number involved car or motor accidents, falls, and poisonings.

Are there rights to those injured in the workplace?

You might wonder if those who composed the number of deaths has been properly compensated or their families provided appropriate claims to make up for the loss of lives of their loved ones.

We may never totally know, which is why a personal injury attorney Virginia Beach VA would tell anyone that knowing their rights and compensation benefits is a must.

Employers throughout the US are required to provide employees with reasonable safety and healthy work environment, nonetheless, accidents and personal injury can occur at any time when you least expect it, even in a secure and safe workplace.

Yes, you have rights

While worker compensation laws may vary from state to state, the rights entitled to injured workers and legal procedures also work and apply differently, however, there are a number of those rights and processes that are the same or closely similar.

The ones that are similar across many or all states have the same objective in nature and can be applied for all such as;

• The right to seek medical attention or consult a medical practitioner in the event of a personal injury.
• The right to file a claim for an illness or injury in a state industrial or worker’s compensation court.
• The right to return to work after being cleared from injuries at work or released from treatment with a clean bill of health.
• The right to disagree or make an appeal for a decision made by your employer, employer’s insurance provider, or worker’s compensation court, which you think may not be made in an appropriate manner.
• The right to be represented by a legal representative or lawyer throughout the process.

Understanding your rights as a worker or employee helps you understand and lobby for your interests that you are entitled under the law.

For instance, you are injured in the workplace and your employer tells you to use your own personal or health insurance for your medical treatment, which will help you understand why such a suggestion is disadvantageous to you, therefore, you have the right to say no.

It is important that you understand your rights because it will help you protect your interests and welfare and getting one of the personal injury attorneys Virginia Beach to help you understand your rights and to help represent you can be your best choice in preserving and protecting your interest under the law.