One traumatic accident is all it takes to change the course of your life completely. You need legal protections to ensure you get justice for the injuries you experienced, whether it was in the workplace or on the roads. With workers’ compensation and motor vehicle compensation, you aren’t adrift without hope. The right law firm will fight for you and ensure you get the payout you deserve so that you don’t need to add the weight of money worries to your existing post-accident stresses.
Workplace Accidents and Workers’ Compensation
If you are injured in a workplace accident, you have workers’ compensation to fall back on for financial support.
What is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation is government-mandated insurance providing financial benefits to people injured in the workplace or in relation to their work.
Eligibility for Workers’ Compensation
To qualify for a workers’ compensation claim, you have to meet the eligibility criteria. The first requirement is that your injury came as the result of your employment or during your employment. The second requirement is that the injury was work-related. For example, if you drive as part of your workday, a car accident during your workday could make you eligible to receive workers’ compensation.
Types of Compensation
There are different types of compensation when it comes to workers’ compensation.
The first is weekly payments that replace your lost wages.
The second is covering the medical expenses related to your workplace injury.
The third is covering any ongoing rehabilitation costs you may have as a result of your workplace injury.
Finally, if you experience permanent impairment, you are eligible for a lump sum payment.
Common Workplace Injuries
The most common workplace injuries are slips, trips, and falls. These accidents occur across every industry and can create minimal injuries like a sprain or serious injuries like a broken hip.
Another common workplace injury is repetitive strain, these injuries take place when a worker carries out the same task to the point their body starts to wear down. This can include wrist pain from constantly scanning groceries at a checkout counter for hours on end, bursitis, or tennis elbow.
Back injuries are also a common outcome across various workplace incidents, and they can be debilitating.
Finally, some workers are exposed to violence and that could be at the hands of a co-worker, a customer, or someone else. Regardless of who, employers have a duty of care to ensure their employees are safe on the job.
Motor Vehicle Accidents and Compensation
If you’ve been in a motor vehicle accident, you know how stressful the aftermath can be and understanding compensation is key.
Motor Vehicle Insurance
You are required to carry car insurance, including third-party cover. Insurance doesn’t just cover you in the event of an accident, it also covers other road users if you are the one who caused the accident.
Common Motor Vehicle Accidents
It doesn’t matter how great a driver you are, you can’t control how other drivers use the roads. Most common motor vehicle accidents fall into a rear-end collision, a side-impact collision, or a head-on collision. If you are in any of these situations, you need to be able to rely on motor vehicle accident compensation to address the vehicle repairs and potentially cover the medical costs of any injuries.
Types of Compensation
If you have been in a car accident, there are several types of compensation available through motor vehicle accident claims.
The first is medical expenses. If you have been injured in a car accident, your motor vehicle lawyers can help you claim for the medical expenses you incurred during treatment for your injuries.
You can also pursue lost wages if you were off work due to those injuries.
While pain and suffering can be difficult to quantify, with the right lawyers and the evidence to back you up, you can make an insurance claim for pain and suffering.
If you have been severely or permanently disabled, you can also make a claim for loss of future earning capacity. While you may be able to work somewhere, if you are prevented from returning to a job with your current earnings, you could still receive a loss of future earning capacity payout.
Fault and Liability
You are, of course, best placed for compensation if you were not at fault for the accident. That being said, even if you were, you can still make claims against your insurance. It may simply change the amount you’re due.
The Role of Legal Professionals
While you can make a motor vehicle accident claim without a lawyer, calling a legal professional can save time and stress. Motor accident lawyers are uniquely placed to deal with these claims and when they’re handling the insurance company, the insurance company is less likely to draw things out.
Motor vehicle accident lawyers in Sydney will help you understand your legal rights, maximise your compensation, and negotiate with the insurance company to secure the best possible payout. They also have an intimate knowledge of the laws, paperwork, deadlines, and court process so they will stay on top of everything.
If you are denied, a lawyer will help you fight back to challenge the insurance company’s decision.
Tips for Injured Workers
If you are injured on the job, the best course of action is to seek medical attention promptly. You should gather evidence immediately, including witness statements and photos. In the workplace, a manager or First Aid rep should do this and if they don’t follow the process properly, you can use that against them when filing your claim.
You should inform your employer about the accident quickly, to ensure they file an accident report.
Speak to a lawyer as soon as possible so you can discuss your options and get a better understanding of your rights. Just remember, the process can be lengthy and though it’s complex, you should be patient as long as you know the ball is rolling.
How AJB Stevens Can Help
Whether you’re fighting for a workers’ compensation payout or looking for a motor accident lawyer, Sydney, you’ve come to the right place. AJB Stevens can pursue the justice you deserve and maximise your compensation claim.
