Murfreesboro Workers Compensation Settlement
Attorneys guiding you through the process
If you are seeking a workers compensation settlement in Murfreesboro or Middle Tennessee, The Law Offices of Smith & Lepp are ready to guide you through the legal process. In Tennessee, as elsewhere, state statutes define the procedures and guidelines for addressing work-related injuries.
How workers compensation works
Workers compensation attempts to strike a balance between employees and employers when a work-related injury occurs. In what is sometimes referred to as the “workers compensation bargain”, workers have given up the right to bring personal injury lawsuits against their employers in exchange for guaranteed medical care and disability payments provided by the employer’s insurance company. This arrangement is mandated by federal and state laws.
If you are injured in a work-related accident, you should take several steps to help ensure that you will receive the benefits to which you are entitled and reach a settlement with your employer’s insurance company that accounts for the full range of your damages.
Report your injury to your employer. In Tennessee, you should immediately notify your employer in writing of an injury or illness. If circumstances prevent immediate reporting, you will have up to 30 days. You will then be required to fill out a Form C-20, the Employers’ First Report of Work Injury, which must be sent to your employer’s insurance carrier.
Choose a physician. In Tennessee, you will be given a panel of three physicians provided by your employer, from which you select one for medical treatments. The choice of physician should not be taken lightly, as this person will have considerable influence over the types of benefits that you receive. If you are unsure about how to decide or what to tell your physician, contact a Murfreesboro worker compensation settlement lawyer for advice.
The importance of using attorneys
After a work-related injury, you should consider contacting an attorney immediately. The workers compensation process in Tennessee moves quickly. In the days immediately following your injury, you will be expected to make important decisions that will influence the outcome of your settlement. The advice of an experienced lawyer can help you avoid missteps that could jeopardize your claim.
