Michigan Workplace Accidents
Most people leave for work in the morning fully expecting to return home at night without anything eventful occurring while on the job. Although there are some professions where a worker knowingly puts his or her life on the line every day, most people expect to make it through the day without an injury at work. Workplace accidents do happen, though far more frequently than most people realize. If you are injured at work, or become ill as a result of your job, you could be entitled to workers compensation through the Michigan workers’ compensation system and/or through a third party lawsuit. At Slusky& Walt, the American Benefits Experts, or A.B.E., our attorneys can help you recover the compensation to which you are entitled.
At Slusky & Walt, P.C., the founders of A.B.E., we help victims of workplace accidents throughout Michigan pursue claims for workplace injuries. If you have been injured in a Michigan workplace accident contact the A.B.E.team at Slusky & Walt, P.C. today at 1-800-ABE-HELPS (1-800-223-4357) to schedule your free consultation.
The Michigan Workers’ Compensation System
The Michigan workers’ compensation system is a “no-fault” system. This means that if you are a covered employee and you are injured while on the job in Michigan you may be entitled to benefits without the need to prove that your employer caused the injury. The workers’ compensation system was implemented to provide a method for streamlining claims of workers injured while on the job.
Prior to the implementation of the workers’ compensation system an injured worker was forced to resort to a traditional negligence lawsuit when injured on the job. Not only did this require an injured worker to wait months, even years, before being compensated for injuries but there was no guarantee that compensation would be awarded at all because the worker was required to prove that the employer’s negligence caused the accident. While the workers’ compensation system makes it much easier for a worker to qualify for compensation, the trade-off is that some compensation available in a traditional personal injury lawsuit is not available through workers’ compensation.
If you qualify for workers’ compensation benefits you may receive benefits that cover the cost of treating your injury or illness as well as wage replacement benefits at the rate of two-thirds of your average weekly wage. Non-economic damages, what most people refer to as “pain and suffering” are not available through workers’ compensation.
Third Party Lawsuits
Because the benefits available through the Michigan workers’ compensation system often fail to completely compensate an injured worker for all the costs associated with an injury, it is wise to explore the possibility of a third party lawsuit in lieu of, or in addition to, a workers’ compensation claim. Although you cannot sue your employer for a workplace accident you may be entitled to file a traditional personal injury lawsuit against a third party if that third party contributed to the accident. This is often the case in a construction workplace accident where multiple companies are frequently operating on the same site at one time. If a worker who is employed by someone other than your employer caused the accident, for example, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation because you were “on the job” and to compensation through a third party personal injury lawsuit if you are able to prove the worker’s negligence contributed to the accident.
The American Benefits Experts at Slusky & Walt, P.C. will work tirelessly until you have received all of the compensation to which you are entitled for a Michigan workplace accident injury. We help injured workers across Michigan qualify for workers’ compensation benefits and/or pursue compensation through a third party negligence lawsuit. Contact the A.B.E. team today at 1-800-ABE-HELPS (1-800-223-4357) so that our workplace accidents attorneys can review your case and advise you of your legal options.
