Employer Negligence
If you’ve been injured on the job, you may be wondering what compensation you’re entitled to. In cases where an employer has been grossly negligent, it’s especially important that employees know their rights.
The State of Florida, like almost all other states, requires employers to hold workers’ compensation insurance. This protects the employer from a personal injury lawsuit, but also ensures that the injured employee receives fair compensation. This compensation will generally include coverage for medical bills and possibly lost wages.
When compared to a lawsuit, the system has advantages and disadvantages. Under workers’ compensation, employees lose the right to sue for workplace injuries, except in cases where the employer deliberately caused the injury. The advantage is that it allows employees to collect without the hassle of a lawsuit, which can take months or even years before the employee is compensated at all.
Generally speaking, workers’ compensation protects employers even in cases of extreme negligence. In such cases, the employer would seem to have a great advantage over the employee, who may be entitled to damages in excess of those awarded in a workers’ compensation claim. Worse, a negligent employer may lack the incentive to fix workplace hazards if a lawsuit is not a possible consequence.
Fighting employer negligence.
If you’ve been the victim of extreme negligence at the hands of an employer, you may be considering a personal injury lawsuit as a possible remedy. You might be worried that workers’ compensation won’t cover all of the damages you’ve incurred, or that other employees may be at risk.
While it’s true that worker’s compensation provides what some consider to be excessive protection for employers, that doesn’t mean there’s no fix for an employer’s willful negligence. An experienced legal counselor can help you understand the problem and what the options are for solving it.
Let Katherine work on your case
Katherine is an experienced legal counselor with years of experience in workers’ compensation claims. She has fought for the rights of many injured workers, and she can fight for yours, too.
Schedule a free consultation!
Questions or concerns about a work-related injury or workplace hazard? Contact us by phone, email, or text message, and we’ll set up a free consultation for you!