Four Years after damning investigations-Alabama still has not taken any steps to protect the rights of injured workers

Four years after NPR and ProPublica did an investigation into the decline of workers compensation benefits for injured workers-and PBS’s NewsHour did their own segment (click here). Alabama was an example of how bad it has gotten for injured workers.

At the same time the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) and the U.S. Department of Labor released their own reports on the plight of injured workers. Their joint opinion: injured workers are having a tougher time obtaining the necessary medical care they need in order to recuperate from their injuries so they can return to work AND the amount of monetary compensation is falling further behind.

According to the Department of Labor, less than 40 percent of workers who are eligible to apply for workers compensation following an injury actually apply for it. Moreover, workers who suffer job injuries make an estimated 15% less over the ensuing decade.

The OSHA report goes on to say that “Employers provide just 20 percent of the overall financial cost of workplace injuries and illnesses through workers’ compensation, according to the report. As a result, taxpayers are subsidizing the vast majority of the income and medical care costs OF

This is being done at a time when workers comp premiums are at their lowest rate in over 30 years and workers comp insurance carrier’s profits are at their highest in a decade.

What State was mentioned the most in these reports? Alabama, because our injured workers receive the least amount of compensation for job injuries than the other States in our Union. For example, the loss of a leg in Alabama (absent other complications) entitles the worker to $44,000; the National Average for the loss of a leg is over $150,000.00.

Things are often worse for injured workers if they do not at least consult with an experienced Alabama Workers’ Compensation Attorney. Earlier this year a defense attorney was telling me how one of his workers’ compensation insurance clients had settled a case and wanted him to finalize the settlement. The injured worker had a herniated disk and was unable to work, but the insurance adjuster was able to convince her to settle out her case for $5,000 because she didn’t know better. The defense attorney has a legal obligation to his client, not the injured worker, and they told me that they felt terrible for the injured worker, but the settlement went through.

If you suffered a job injury, it is in YOUR interest to speak with an experienced Alabama Workers Compensation Attorney to protect your interest, as the insurance adjuster won’t.

If you were hurt at work and you have questions about your right to Alabama Workers’ Compensation benefits, don’t hesitate to call and talk to one of the experienced Alabama Workers’ Compensation Attorneys at Powell and Denny today.

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Offices located in Hoover, AL and Huntsville, AL

Powell and Denny have been selected as one of the Best Law Firms by U.S. News and World Report for each of the last 5 years, have been selected as one of Birmingham’s Top Lawyers by B-Metro Magazine for the last 3 years, have been selected by The National Advocates as one of the Top 20 Workers’ Compensation Firms (plaintiffs) and Powell and Denny, P.C.-has been selected as one of the “Best of the Best” law firms by The American Registry.

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Four Years after damning investigations-Alabama still has not taken any steps to protect the rights of injured workers