Waldorf Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

What to Do after an On-the-Job Injury

Work-related and on-the-job injuries can cause you to suffer severe physical pain and financial losses. After a work injury, it can be difficult to know where to turn to obtain the honest answers and help that you and your family need. Let our Waldorf, Maryland workers’ compensation lawyers help you.

At the Farmer & Klopfer, our attorneys guide injured and disabled workers through these difficult times by helping them obtain workers’ compensation benefits. If your injury occurred on the job, our lawyers can help you file a Maryland workers’ compensation claim. It doesn’t matter whether you suffered a back injury, were in a work-related auto accident, or developed a repetitive stress injury (RSI), like carpal tunnel syndrome—if it happened at work, it should be covered under Maryland workers’ compensation laws.

Our lawyers serve the La Plata, Leonardtown, Waldorf, Bennsville, Lexington Park, Upper Marlboro, Bowie, Suitland, Bladensburg, Greenbelt, College Park, Lanham, Landover, Takoma Park, and Clinton, Maryland areas.

Standing Up for Injured Maryland Workers

What happens if you are injured so badly that you cannot work in Maryland? How will you pay your rent or mortgage? Who will you pay the medical bills? How will you put food on the table? These are just some of the questions that you may have as you face this difficult and uncertain time. Let our Waldorf workers’ compensation lawyers answer all of your questions and fight to get you the benefits you are entitled to.

Our team of workers’ comp attorneys routinely represent employees who suffer work-related injuries, including:

• Workplace slips, trips, and falls
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Electrocution and burn injuries
• Muscle strains and broken bones
• Work-related auto accidents
• Repetitive stress injuries
• Exposure to gas, toxic chemicals, and hazardous substances

Injured workers in Maryland are entitled to receive two-thirds of their average weekly wages and have their medical expenses paid. If you are having trouble recovering your rightful benefits, we can fight for you.

Maryland Workers' Compensation Laws

In Maryland, workers' compensation laws are designed to protect employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses by providing them with medical benefits, wage replacement, and other necessary support. Most employers are required to have workers' compensation insurance, with few exceptions like some agricultural or maritime employers.

Almost all employees, including full-time, part-time, seasonal, and minors, are covered by workers' compensation. Employers who fail to carry workers' compensation insurance can face fines, penalties, and potential legal actions

Here are the general steps to file a workers' compensation claim in Maryland:

1. Report the Injury: Inform your employer about the injury or illness as soon as possible. It's best to do this in writing and keep a copy for your records. You must report the injury within 10 days of its occurrence to ensure compliance with the reporting requirements. However, you have up to two years to file a claim in Maryland.
2. Seek Medical Attention: Seek medical care for your injury from a healthcare provider authorized by your employer or their insurer. Inform the healthcare provider that your injury is work-related.
3. Complete Claim Forms: Obtain the necessary claim form from your employer or the Maryland Workers' Compensation Commission (WCC) and fill it out accurately. Submit the completed claim form to the WCC. You can file it electronically through the WCC's website or by mail.
4. Await Decision and Benefits: The WCC will review your claim and determine whether you are eligible for workers' compensation benefits. You'll receive a notice about the acceptance or denial of your claim. If approved, you'll receive benefits according to the nature and severity of your injury.
5. Follow-Up and Compliance: Attend all necessary medical appointments and follow the prescribed treatment plan to aid recovery. Comply with any requests or requirements made by the WCC, employer, or insurance company regarding the claim.
6. Consider Legal Help: If you encounter difficulties in the claims process or if your claim is denied, consider consulting a workers' compensation attorney. They can provide guidance and represent your interests in hearings or appeals.

Why Were My Benefits Denied?

Workers' compensation benefits can be denied for various reasons. Some common reasons include:

• Late Reporting: Failing to report the injury within the specified timeframe required by the employer or state law can result in denial.
• Lack of Medical Evidence: If the medical records don’t sufficiently link the injury or illness to the workplace, the claim might be denied.
• Disputed Work-Relatedness: The employer or insurance company might contest that the injury or illness isn’t work-related or didn’t occur in the course of employment.
• Pre-Existing Conditions: Denial might occur if the injury aggravates a pre-existing condition, and it's challenging to establish the direct impact of the workplace incident.
• Missed Filing Deadlines: Failing to file the claim within the stipulated time frame established by state law can lead to denial.
• Lack of Witness or Evidence: If there are no witnesses or other evidence supporting the occurrence of the injury at the workplace, it might be challenging to prove the claim.
• Non-Compliance or Refusal to Cooperate: Not adhering to the requirements of the workers' compensation process, such as attending medical appointments or refusing suitable work, can lead to denial.
• Misconduct or Intoxication: If the injury occurred while the employee was engaged in misconduct or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it might lead to denial of benefits.
• Administrative Errors: Mistakes or errors in the paperwork, incomplete forms, or missing information can lead to denial until the issues are rectified.
• Employer/Insurer Challenge: Employers or insurers might challenge claims for various reasons, including believing the injury wasn’t work-related or that it doesn’t qualify under workers' compensation laws.
• Inadequate Documentation: If the claim form is incomplete or lacks necessary details, it might be rejected until the required information is provided.
• Disputed Causation: The insurer may dispute whether the injury or illness was caused by work-related activities or if it's the result of a different non-work-related incident.

Your Legal Advocates after a Work Injury

Despite your injuries and valid claim to workers’ compensation benefits, your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company may do everything it can to avoid paying what you are entitled by law to receive. Our workers’ comp attorneys can stand up for your rights and fight to recover the maximum benefit amount to which you are entitled.

If you were receiving workers’ comp but the check wasn’t in the right amount or the benefits were wrongfully terminated, please contact our work injury attorneys to discuss your situation. We will deal with the bureaucracy so you can focus on healing.

If an on-the-job injury resulted in a permanent disability, our Waldorf workers’ compensation lawyers can negotiate a lump sum settlement of your workers’ comp claim.

When people are injured on the job or suffer from work-related illnesses, they are up against serious challenges. Injured workers worry not only about their medical bills but also about supporting themselves and their families when they must take time off work.

You have rights under Maryland’s workers’ compensation laws, and we will fight to protect them. Our workplace injury attorneys go to battle to get our clients and their families the workers’ compensation benefits they need and deserve.

Contact us online or call (301) 265-2220 to request a free consultation. 

Begin Your Case with Us Leading the Way

Seeking legal recourse may not be your top priority after suffering an injury at work. However, it is in your best interest to consult with a skilled attorney immediately after your accident. Our team of Waldorf workers' compensation lawyers can work on your behalf and make sure that your legal rights are protected during this trying time. We can also fight to get you full, fair, and just compensation for your injuries, medical expenses, and lost wages.

Call us at (301) 265-2220 or contact us online for a free consultation.

Maryland Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Maryland workers’ comp laws allow for various types of benefits and different forms of financial compensation when an employee or worker gets hurt on the job. These include:

• Temporary partial disability benefits: If you need to recuperate from a work injury but can still complete some light-duty work without risking further injury, then you could receive temporary partial disability benefits. Your benefits could pay half the difference of your after-injury wages compared to your pre-injury wages, assuming there is a decline.
• Temporary total disability benefits: If your work injury is so severe that you can’t work safely in any way, then you can be given temporary total disability benefits. You could be paid roughly 66% of your average pre-injury wages, beginning three days after the day your injury happened. If you can’t work at all for 14 days or more, then you can be reimbursed for those first three days of missed work, though.
• Scarring and disfigurement benefits: Additional financial benefits can be paid to injured workers who suffer an injury that causes visible scarring or disfigurements, such as facial scars or missing limbs.
• Specific loss benefits: If you lost the use of a specific body part in a work accident, then you can be given additional financial benefits called specific loss benefits. Different body parts have different “values” in a workers’ compensation claim. For example, losing a pinky finger would likely warrant lesser specific loss benefits compared to if you had lost eyesight in one eye.
• Lump sum payments: In many workers’ compensation claims that are initially contested, the claimant will be paid through a lump sum payment that gives all financial benefits at once, rather than waiting for them to be paid gradually. Our attorneys can help you understand if getting a lump sum payment would be the right choice for your case.
• Death and funeral benefits: Specific financial benefits can be paid to the family of a worker who passed away due to a work-related injury, such as payments for funerals and burials.
• Widow benefits: If a deceased worker has a surviving spouse, then “widow benefits” might be used to provide the surviving spouse a portion of the deceased worker’s average weekly wages for a certain amount of time.

Workers Compensation

What do workers’ compensation benefits cover?

You may be eligible to receive compensation for your medical treatment—including hospital bills, physical therapy, prescriptions, and more—and your lost wages.

What types of illnesses or injuries qualify someone for benefits?

If you were injured in the course of your employment—no matter how the injury occurred or whose fault it was—you may qualify for benefits.

Do I need an attorney to file a workers’ compensation claim?

Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier may do everything it can to avoid paying you what you are entitled to by law. Our lawyers fight insurance companies on behalf of injured workers to get them maximum compensation. We also know when our clients should pursue third-party personal injury lawsuits in addition to workers’ compensation claims.

How much does it cost to hire a workers’ compensation attorney?

You do not have to pay our firm any money out-of-pocket to represent you. If we win compensation for you, an attorney’s fee will be deducted from your financial award. The fixed fee is set by Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission. Incidental costs may also apply.

How much money will I receive for income replacement?

Under Maryland law, injured workers are entitled to receive two-thirds of their average weekly wages. These benefits are called “temporary total disability” payments.

How long can I receive temporary total disability payments?

You should receive wage replacement benefits as long as you are unable to work due to your injuries or until you make a maximum medical recovery.

When should I report a workplace accident?

As soon as possible. Delays can make it more difficult to pursue a workers’ compensation claim.