Jersey County Labor Union Injury Lawyer

Jersey County Labor Union Injury Attorney

Employees who are part of a labor union have additional protections as well as many other benefits. When an employee who is part of a labor union is injured on the job, they are eligible for workers’ compensation, like any other employee.

This is why it’s essential to find a Jersey County labor union injury lawyer who understands state and local labor union laws and how they may affect your workers’ compensation claim.

Workers’ compensation exists for nearly all employees in Illinois, providing them with financial stability and coverage of certain expenses if they are injured at work, such as partially lost income and medical bills. When you are a union member, there are often extra benefits that employees can take advantage of.

What Union Workers Should Do If They Are Injured on the Job

Some union members believe that, after a workplace injury, they do not have to take the same steps as other workers to get coverage and protection.

However, after a workplace accident, there are certain steps that all employees should take to protect their employee rights. Union members must also ensure that they meet the guidelines outlined in a union collective bargaining agreement to receive their full benefits.

Get Medical Care

Obtaining healthcare is essential for personal health and for a potential claim. If you are injured on the job and need urgent care, this is the first and most important step. If you believe that you are not injured, you may inform your employer and union representative of the injury prior to seeking medical care.

However, it is important that you are looked over by a professional, even if you feel like you are unharmed. Some injuries, like head trauma, take time to manifest.

Securing proper documentation of the medical care you receive is also important. This documentation can help prove the link between an accident at work and the injury you received. It can also show proof of the severity of your injury.

Report the Injury

It’s important to give both your employer and your union representative notice of an injury once you receive medical care. When an employee is in a sudden accident on the job, they have 45 days under state law to inform their employer. If the injury is the result of a developmental condition, employees must inform their employers as soon as they are aware of the injury and its connection to their work.

Union members should also provide information to their union representatives during this time. Although there is no legal requirement to do so, it is incredibly beneficial for the employee’s support and protection.

Contact an Attorney

Unions exist to protect the collective rights of employees and provide as much support for them as possible. An experienced attorney can also look out for your personal interests and rights while determining how your collective bargaining agreement intersects with your unique injury, job, and workers’ compensation rights.

Although union members have extra protections, a workers’ compensation claim is not automatic. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to make a successful claim more likely to be achieved.

How Does Labor Union Membership Impact Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

Labor unions make employers and policymakers confront industry employees as a collective rather than individual employees. This gives employees more leverage to obtain the rights and protections they deserve.

The collective power of labor unions helps both union members and non-union employees by working for changes to state laws and company policies that improve workers’ compensation benefits. Labor unions have advocated and bargained for:

• Monetary benefits that increase with inflation
• Benefits to ensure that employees receive effective care
• Safer working conditions that limit the potential hazards of worksites

By codifying these benefits, all employees in an industry profit, even those who are not part of the union.

How Can a Labor Union Injury Lawyer Help?

Filing a workers’ compensation claim is easier with an attorney. With their help, the claim is more likely to succeed, and an employee is more likely to receive the most benefits from it. Even union-protected employees need to file for their workers’ compensation benefits, and this can be frustrating to manage while you are recovering or managing a treatment plan.

Some employees will contact an attorney when their workers’ compensation claim has been denied. Although an attorney is capable of helping with the appeals process, it is to an employee’s benefit to work with an attorney from the beginning of their claim.

A lawyer can help with legal deadlines, gathering evidence of the work injury, and calculating the true scope of damages available. If a claim is denied, an attorney can help with the appeals process or review other options for compensation.

When you are injured on the job, an attorney can protect your legal rights and ensure that you receive the benefits of your labor union.

Benefits in a Labor Union Workers’ Compensation Claim

The value of a workers’ compensation claim depends on:

• The severity of the injury suffered
• The amount of time an employee cannot work
• Whether the employee becomes permanently disabled in any way that impacts their ability to complete their job duties

In a workers’ compensation claim, benefits may include:

• Medical bill coverage, past and future
• Anticipated medical complication costs
• Vocational rehabilitation and job retraining
• Temporary or permanent partial disability benefits
• Temporary or permanent total disability benefits
• Death benefits

Disability benefits give an employee up to ⅔ of their average weekly wages during the time of their recovery. Typically, these benefits last until the employee can return in full to their job duties.

The value or coverage of these benefits may be altered by an industry-specific collective bargaining agreement.

Contact an Experienced Jersey County Labor Union Injury Attorney

When you are dealing with the pain and frustration of an injury, it can be reassuring to know that a knowledgeable attorney is working on your behalf and in your interests. Joshua R. Evans, Attorney at Law, wants to help injured employees in Jersey County.

Our team has experience with personal injury and workers’ compensation claims. We can help you determine how your union membership changes your benefits or the steps you need to obtain them. Contact our firm today.