North Haven Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

Workplace injuries occur with alarming frequency in Connecticut. Workers’ compensation insurance provides numerous benefits to injured workers and their families. If you recently suffered an injury at work, you should consult the North Haven workers’ compensation attorneys at the Carter Mario Law Firm.

Getting Help for Workers’ Comp 

The benefits available from workers’ compensation insurance are generous and helpful. Unfortunately, employers and insurance companies often deny or minimize claims to save money. At Carter Mario, our workers’ compensation lawyers can guide you through the claims process.

If you’re living in North Haven and have been involved in a truck accident in North Haven, a motorcycle accident, or a car accident, the personal injury lawyers at Carter Mario Law Firm can help.

North Haven Workers’ Compensation 

Prior to the passage of the Workers’ Compensation Act, injured employees had to obtain legal services to sue their employers. However, various rulings made it nearly impossible for injured employees to obtain compensation for their injuries. The Workers’ Compensation Act was passed to combat this growing social problem.

Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim

Filing a claim is a relatively easy process. First, you should report the incident and injury to your employer as soon as possible. After reporting the injury to your employer, you must complete a 30C Form and file it with the Workers’ Compensation Commission to officially open your claim.

You must meet two requirements to have a valid workers’ compensation claim. First, you must have suffered an accidental injury or work-related disease. Second, your injury must have occurred while you were working in the scope of your employment. 

Laws Regarding Workers’ Compensation in North Haven 

Workers’ compensation is a form of no-fault insurance which means you still have a valid claim even if your own negligence caused the accident. However, an insurance carrier can deny your claim if they have evidence showing your injury resulted from horseplay (engaging in an activity that departs from your normal duties) or intoxication (your claim is barred if you suffered the injury as a result of intoxication). Additionally, under Connecticut’s statute of limitations, you have one year to make a claim for a physical injury and three years to make a claim for an occupational disease.

Benefits of North Haven Workers’ Compensation

The most popular benefit of workers’ compensation insurance is that it is legally required to pay for your medical expenses and treatment. Along with this, workers’ compensation insurance provides financial benefits. To qualify for benefits, you must be suffering from an injury that incapacitates you for seven days.

Wage Replacement Benefits

Before the Workers’ Compensation Act’s passage, employees who could not work had to rely on charity or public benefits. Today, if you are temporarily disabled and unable to work, workers’ compensation lawyers can help you win Temporary Total Disability (“TTD”) benefits which pay you 75% of your average weekly salary. If you are not disabled, but your injuries limit the number of hours you can work, you can seek Temporary Partial Disability (“TPD”) benefits which pay you 75% of the difference between your pre-injury and post-injury weekly salary.

Employment Training

You may not be able to return to your prior duties due to the extent of your injuries. You can seek vocational rehabilitation benefits in order to learn new employment skills. The insurance carrier must pay for you to be evaluated and retrained for employment similar to your prior duties. 

Compensation for Permanent Injuries

Some employees are involved in accidents that leave them with permanent injuries. If your injuries caused you to become completely incapacitated, you can seek Permanent Total Disability (“PTD”) benefits which pay you 75% of your average weekly salary potentially for life. If you are permanently injured but not incapacitated, you can seek Permanent Partial Disability (“PPD”) benefits which pay you based on the nature and extent of your injury and your pre-injury income.

Your Claim with a North Haven Workers’ Comp Lawyer 

In addition to raising legal defenses, insurance companies complicate and prolong the workers’ compensation process. They delay the claims process by arguing victims’ injuries are not work-related or no longer need medical treatment. The attorneys at Carter Mario have been successfully guiding injured victims through the workers’ compensation claims process since 1989, as seen by the fact that we have obtained over one billion dollars on behalf of our clients.

What is the Difference Between Personal Injury and Workers’ Comp?

There are many differences between a personal injury claim and a workers’ compensation claim. The main difference is that personal injury is fault-based while workers’ comp is no-fault based. The other major difference is the amount and types of financial compensation available.

Differences Between the Two 

To have a workers’ comp claim accepted by the Workers’ Compensation Commission, you must prove you suffered an accidental injury while working. However, to win a personal injury claim, you must prove the guilty party committed an act of negligence. Additionally, you must prove all the elements of your claim by a preponderance of the evidence.

Personal Injury Cases 

You can obtain compensation for your injuries in a personal injury case by claiming financial and non-financial damages. Financial damages consist of your medical expenses and lost wages while non-financial damages consist of your pain and suffering. Unlike a workers’ compensation claim, you must win your personal injury case before you receive any financial compensation.

Workers’ Compensation Cases 

Workers’ compensation provides several benefits, including wage replacement, in a relatively short time after your claim is accepted by the Workers’ Compensation Commission. Additionally, you can receive a monetary award based on the permanency of your injury at the end of your case. However, unlike personal injury claims, you cannot seek compensation for your pain and suffering.

Determining What Works for You 

If you suffered an injury at work due to your own negligence, your only remedy is to file a workers’ compensation claim. However, if you suffered an injury due to another person’s negligence, you can pursue a personal injury claim and a workers’ compensation claim. In some instances, you may be better off pursuing only personal injury claims because you can obtain more money based on your pain and suffering.

North Haven Workers’ Comp FAQs

Employers and insurance companies sometimes do not inform injured workers of their legal rights. Instead, they encourage injured workers to use sick leave or health insurance instead of pursuing workers’ compensation claims. The attorneys at Carter Mario provide free and confidential consultations.

What to Do After an Accident

You should notify your supervisor of the accident and then immediately obtain medical treatment for your injuries. You should also take photographs of the area of the accident and identify possible witnesses. Finally, do not speak with your employer’s insurance company but instead consult a North Haven workers’ compensation attorney.

How Much Do I Have To Pay For A North Haven Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?

The workers’ compensation lawyers at Carter Mario represent injured victims on a contingency fee basis. This means we only get paid if we obtain an award from the Workers’ Compensation Commission or settle your case. Additionally, you pay nothing under our Zero Fee Warranty unless we win.

Trust the Experience of the Workers’ Comp Attorneys at Carter Mario 

The workers’ compensation attorneys at Carter Mario serving North Haven, CT have been fighting for injured workers for over 30 years. We fight not only to protect your rights but also to get you the benefits you need to recover from your injuries. 

For a free initial consultation, call us today!

If you live in North Haven you may also need legal representation if you have been involved in a car accident, a truck accident, a motorcycle accident, or are filing a medical malpractice suit. The personal injury lawyers at Carter Mario Law Firm can help.