Why Choose Us?
If you have been in a work accident and suffered injuries, you should hire a work injury lawyer to help you obtain compensation through workers’ compensation. There are numerous lawyers who can help you, but you will want a firm that is fully knowledgeable about the law and tenacious enough to get you compensated for your injuries. Some other reasons to hire Steven H. Heisler as your work injury attorney include:
- He is a born fighter, from his days as a Golden Glove boxer to his work as an organizer for a local union.
- His clients have expressed their thanks through testimonials.
- He has successfully won millions of dollars for his clients.
- He has served Baltimore for more than three decades.
Steven H. Heisler is a dedicated Baltimore wrongful death attorney who fights for the rights of his clients. Here will be there for you from the day of the initial consultation to the day you receive your compensation check.
How Our Baltimore Work Injury Attorney Can Help
You may think that you can handle your work injury claim by yourself. However, there are many aspects of the law that only an attorney knows. Besides this, if you attempt to file a claim on your own, it may be denied because the forms are filled out incorrectly or because they were filed too late. Work injury laws are complex, and a work injury attorney can help you get the benefits you deserve. Other reasons for hiring a work injury attorney include:
- Meeting with you to discuss your claim for workers’ compensation benefits
- Collecting and reviewing all necessary paperwork needed to file a claim
- Interviewing witnesses to the work accident
- Speaking with any insurance companies that may be a party to the case
- Filing an appeal with the workers’ compensation board if your claim was denied
- You only pay the attorney if you receive compensation for temporary or permanent benefits.
If you were injured at work and need to file a workers’ compensation claim, look no further than Steven Heisler. He will take care of all the necessary filings and phone calls so that you can recover from your injuries. Call Steven today at (410) 625-4878.
What is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that an employer has that will pay employees who are injured on the job. Every employer in Maryland (with very few exceptions) with one or more employees is required by law to provide workers’ compensation for their employees.
While certain types of jobs are more likely to lead to work injuries, anyone in any type of work environment can be injured on the job. From construction workers to office employees, the workplace is filled with potential hazards that can cause severe injuries.
Some of the types of work that can lead to workplace accidents are:
- Construction work
- Moving heavy material
- Carpentry work
- Truck drivers
- Janitors and cleaners
- Maintenance and repair workers
- Auto and steel workers
- First responders.
Also, there are many causes of work injuries, which will also depend on the type of job that you are in. We have seen that the most common reasons for injuries in the workplace include:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Slips and falls
- Violence between employees or customers
- Continuous-stress environments
- Human factors or poor ergonomics
- Repetitive motion
- Exposure to hazardous chemicals
- Lifting heavy materials or packages
- Poorly maintained equipment.
What Should You Do If You Get Injured At Work?
If you are injured on the job, there are certain steps that you should take after the accident. Following these steps may ensure that you will be covered if you file a claim with the MWCB. The steps you should take are as follows:
- Report your injury immediately to your employer. In fact, under Maryland law, you are required to notify your employer of a work injury within 10 days of the accident. If you do not report the injury during that time period, you may be forfeiting any future workers’ compensation benefits.
- Get medical attention. Even if you think that the injuries are minor, see a doctor. Some injuries take days or weeks to appear after an accident. Seeking medical care after an accident will also result in a medical report from your doctor, which will be beneficial when you file for workers’ compensation.
- Document everything. Make sure you take pictures and videos of the accident scene and start a journal, detailing your physical and emotional pain and suffering. Also, get the names and contact information for anyone who witnessed the accident that caused your injuries.
- Speak to a knowledgeable and caring work injury lawyer. Having a legal professional on your side during this stressful time will hopefully alleviate any anxiety you may have about your financial future. Also, a work injury attorney will explain to you the process of filing for a workers’ compensation claim.
- File a claim with the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Board. With the help of your attorney, file the necessary paperwork as soon as possible after the accident. Claims to the workers’ compensation board should be done within 60 days of the injury; employees who do not file an accidental injury claim within 2 years will be barred from receiving any compensation.
- Do not speak with the employer’s workers compensation insurance company until you have spoken with a work injury lawyer. The insurance company records your statement and it can be used against you if the insurance company fights your claim.
Benefits You Will Receive From A Workers’ Compensation Claim
Under Maryland Workers’ Compensation Law, there are four different types of disability benefits that you can receive. You may be able to get benefits for one or all of them.
- Temporary Total Disability Benefits – These are benefits you can receive if you are totally disabled from work for a temporary period of time. These benefits are usually given during the healing process after a work accident. Once you have recovered from your injuries (called the maximum medical improvement), your benefits will stop because you are then able to return to work.
- Temporary Partial Disability Benefits – These are benefits you receive if you are partially disabled for a temporary period of time. For instance, if you can only work twenty hours a week due to your injury, you might be entitled to Temporary Partial Benefits for the twenty hours you cannot work.
- Permanent Partial Disability Benefits – These are benefits you receive if you have a permanent injury that disables you partially. If you receive this type of benefit, you will probably return back to work in some capacity, but you will be eligible to continue to receive benefits even after you have reached maximum medical improvement.
- Permanent Total Disability Benefits – These are benefits you will receive if you have a permanent injury that is so bad that you are unable to return back to work in any capacity.
Whichever type of disability you think you have, it would be wise to speak to a Baltimore work injury lawyer to assist you in obtaining the best benefits for your injury. Also, a lawyer can help you fight your case if it is denied by the workers’ compensation board.
What To Do If Your Workers’ Compensation Claim is Denied
Even if you fill out the paperwork to the best of your ability and are truthful in your documentation, the Employers’ Workers’ Compensation Insurance Company may deny your claim for compensation. There are many reasons why a workers’ compensation benefits claim may be denied, such as:
- You may have missed the deadline for filing a claim.
- There is an error on the claim form that was submitted to the board.
- Your employer claims that the injuries were not sustained on the job.
- You weren’t considered an employee when the work injury occurred.
- Your employer claims that you injured yourself intentionally.
- Your employer asserts that you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident.
- Your employer claims that the injuries sustained on the job are pre-existing.
Whatever reason is stated for the denial of a workers’ compensation claim, you have the right to request a hearing with the Maryland Workers Compensation Commission. At the hearing, the commission hears from both the employer and the employee. Your employer will have an attorney from their insurance company there. That means that you should, too. After the hearing, the commission takes around 30 days to reach a decision on your appeal.
Our Baltimore Work Injury Attorney Answers Your Important Questions
We know that you will have numerous questions for us when we initially sit down to discuss your case. We know that your specific case will have different aspects than other cases, but there are some similar questions that we get when it comes to worker injuries. Some of those questions are:
I have a good working relationship with my employer. Will they be upset with me if I file a claim?
They shouldn’t be upset with you if you have a valid claim and you are telling the truth. That’s why the employer has workers compensation insurance. They may fight your claim if they feel that there were other factors involved, such as claiming that you were under the influence when the accident occurred.
Can I get benefits if I work remotely but was injured while working?
Yes, you can. But, you must be able to prove that the injuries you sustained were work related.
What do workers’ compensation benefits cover?
If you are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, you will receive compensation for any medical treatments (like hospital/ doctor bills, physical therapy, medicine prescriptions, etc.) lost wages, permanent impairment, job retraining.
How much does a workers’ compensation attorney cost?
The attorney’s fees come out of the financial benefits you receive and are fixed by the workers’ compensation board.. You will not have to pay any out-of-pocket expenses to your attorney.
Can I sue my employer?
If you were injured on the job, workers’ compensation benefits are your only avenue to receive compensation. However, if your employer doesn’t have workers’ compensation benefits, or if you can prove that they intentionally caused your injuries, you may be able to file a lawsuit against them.
Attorney Steve Heisler
Steve Heisler decided in 1996 that he was going to focus his law practice exclusively on injury cases. Since then, he has been representing injured people against insurance companies, disreputable medical practitioners and Big Pharma, and doing it with compassion, honesty and level-headed rationality. [ Attorney Bio ]
