Detroit Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Healthcare Workers
If you work in healthcare and you’re injured on the job, you might think you’ve got an advantage securing workers’ compensation benefits.
After all, you know the healthcare system. You might have treated other people with on-the-job injuries.
But working in healthcare comes with complications when you’re seeking the lost wages and medical coverage that comes with workers’ comp:
- The healthcare industry has a high risk of worker injuries.
- That gives insurers greater incentive to look for ways to save money on claims.
Understanding these special dynamics for healthcare workers could help as you seek benefits.
And an experienced workers’ comp attorney from Levine Benjamin Law Firm can get you through the process.
Levine Benjamin Law Firm has been helping people with health problems and financial worries in Detroit, Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids and all across Michigan since 1964.
From applying to appealing, we help you every step of the way.
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The Trouble with Workers’ Comp in the Healthcare Industry
An injured employee in any industry could end up costing an insurer and employer money, so why would it be more difficult to get fair compensation in the healthcare field?
As it turns out, healthcare is one of the most dangerous employment settings.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently showed 5.7 annual deaths per 100,000 employees in health are. By comparison, the rate was only 3.4 in the construction industry.
As part of that study, the bureau also found that health care workers experience workplace violence at higher rates than any other sector.
If you’re in the healthcare sector, though, you don’t need statistics to tell you how dangerous the job can be.
In addition to workplace violence, you also face the hazards of over-exertion, needle sticks, slips and falls, infections and dangers created by under-staffing.
Add in the fact that health care is the fastest growing industry in America.
Now you’ve got insurance companies trying everything they can to avoid losing money on settlements for healthcare workers.
This is why they sometimes make it difficult.
Why Healthcare Workers Don’t Get Special Treatment
As any medical professional knows, the healthcare industry itself aims to make money. Just like the insurance industry.
These two facts put healthcare workers in the same situation as any other kind of worker who gets hurt on the job.
You become just another claim, regardless of your knowledge of healthcare.
The simple fact is that every workers’ comp claim costs the insurer and potentially the healthcare facility—or other employer—money.
If a certain healthcare organization’s employees are getting injured often enough, the insurer will likely bump up their premiums. No organization wants higher costs.
This creates an atmosphere that could stop you from receiving hurt-on-the-job benefits.
In many cases, employees in the healthcare industry must turn to workers’ comp attorneys to get what they deserve.
Even if you’re granted benefits, you may not receive everything you deserve without the careful review of an attorney.
Getting Help for Injuries in Healthcare
If you’re injured on the job in any way, the first step is always to report it to your employer.
If you fail to promptly report an injury, you may lose your chance to receive fair benefits.
Next you’ll want to speak with a workers’ comp lawyer to make sure your employer and insurer do the right thing.
Then don’t give up on receiving compensation.
If you’ve been denied benefits, contact a workers’ comp lawyer immediately.
The professionals at Levine Benjamin will fight for your right to compensation for time-loss, prescriptions, medical care and other financial burdens.
You may also be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits if your injury will result in a prolonged inability to work. The attorneys at Levine Benjamin can help you with that, too.
At Levine Benjamin, we evaluate your case for FREE. We don’t charge a fee until you win.