Workers’ Compensation Overview

Our attorneys help injured workers protect their jobs and their income, while also making sure that the medical and financial needs of the injured worker are being met.   We want our clients to be able to return to the quality of life they once enjoyed or, if that is no longer possible, to recover to the best extent possible. Thus, we work aggressively and quickly when handling workers’ compensation claims, trying to get you the very best financial recovery we can in the least amount of time possible.

Common Workplace Injuries

The Piatchek Law Firm can handle any kind of work-related injury. Injuries we often deal with include:

• Head injury or neck injury
• Back injury or spinal injuries
• Shoulder injury
• Knee injury
• Slips or trips over equipment or materials
• Falls from ladder, or falls from one level to another
• Machinery accidents
• Hand Injury
• Scars or Scarring
• Foot or leg injuries
• Joint or bone injuries
• Repetitive motion
• Loss of limbs or loss of use
• Struck by or collision with a workplace object
• Highway or roadway incidents
• Work-related mental health issues
• Workplace violence or assault
• Future medical treatment
• Medication or devices necessary for recovery

Our promise to you is simple. We’ll listen, empathize, and we’ll work hard for your best possible outcome. We’ll treat your case as if it were our own, or one of our family member’s.

How Does Workers’ Compensation Work in Missouri?

The State of Missouri, under its Missouri Workers’ Compensation Laws, assists workers who have suffered job injuries or who became exposed to occupational diseases during the course of their work. To get Workers Compensation assistance, the employee will need to take several steps, usually beginning with reporting the issue or accident at the workplace – we also recommend that you may want to see an attorney as early on in the process as you can. Once you have reported the illness or injury to the company, they must file a Report of Injury with Missouri. There are many steps that may follow in order for you to claim Workers’ compensation benefits.

Most important, you will obviously need to seek medical treatment for your illness or injury.  After receiving medical treatment, usually once  you have recovered as much as possible, the doctor will issue a rating for:

• Permanent Total Disability (PTD): If your doctor finds you’re unable to work at all, you may be entitled to receive weekly benefits for life, or as long as you are totally disabled. Other PTD cases may receive lump-sum settlements.
• Permanent Partial Disability (PPD): An injury might rule out certain tasks or roles permanently, yet still allow for full-time work of some kind. Where this is the case, the injured employee normally receives PPD benefits in a lump sum, though there may be other outcomes.

The doctor’s opinion as to your disability results in this “rating”, however, please keep in mind that one doctor’s rating is not final – and may not even be completely accurate or fair. A Missouri workers’ compensation lawyer can make sure employees obtain a second opinion from another doctor, and receive fair treatment during this process, and thus receive the full benefits to which an injured worker is entitled. In some cases, the employee is entitled to a percentage of their regular pay, plus a lump sum compensation for the injury – though there are several ways it can work.

Claims are decided by Administrative Law Judges, who have the authority to award compensation once the case has been heard.

There’s one very important point to know from the start. If you decide to file, it’s important to start the process before the statute of limitations bars your claim.  If you wait too long, you will not be able to file.  If you have questions about the statute of limitations on your injury, please contact us immediately.

How Long Do You Have to File a Workers’ Comp Claim in Missouri?

Generally, to file a workers’ compensation claim after a work-related incident or injury, the employee or their attorney must file within two years from the date of the incident at work or the date of a worker’s death. However, keep in mind that there may be certain nuances involved, about which you may want to consult with an attorney.  What if a new claim arises at a later time? Further claims must be made within two years from when the last payment was made to compensate the incident. The employee may get a longer time if the company fails to file a timely Report of Injury with the state. 

If you believe you are entitled to compensation, The Piatchek Law Firm’s Springfield, MO office, can handle your case. You don’t have to wait on your company, and you don’t have to stand by feeling helpless.  

Not sure if it’s time to file or not? Our law firm is experienced with a range of workers’ compensation claims, from minor injuries to those involving death or permanent disability. Contact us and tell us about your situation, and we’ll let you know how to go forward.

What Does a Workers’ Compensation Attorney Do?

Workers’ Comp Lawyers help injured people protect their jobs and their income, while also making sure that an injured person’s medical and financial needs are being met. This means discovering and considering every fact and occurrence, and carefully studying the arguments and outcomes of cases in the past and how the Administrative Law Judge responded, and how they may respond in your case. Our lawyers also advocate for our clients with insurance company representatives, who would like to avoid paying the maximum amount allowed by the policy, or by law – or often may want to avoid paying at all.

A workers’ compensation attorney can advise you on legal strategies that are in your best interest, and will produce the best outcome. We know the process and we’ve seen the range of various outcomes. By seeking the largest compensation possible, we try our very best to put our clients in a strong position to overcome illness and injury, and recover as much as possible.

In short, we help working people regain the quality of life they once enjoyed, or to recover to the best extent possible. That means getting access to the best possible financial cushion of support.

When Do You Need a Workers’ Comp Attorney?

Our clients turn to us when they are:

• Injured at work.
• Diagnosed with a work related condition, illness, or injury.
• Are not being provided medical treatment.
• Not receiving any income when unable to work.
• Need answers that their employer, doctor, or the internet doesn’t clearly provide.
• Have received a settlement offer from an employer – in hopes we can get them more.

Injured employees do not need to take any settlement offered, especially the first offer.  Contact a Workers’ Compensation lawyer that will be your advocate, and explain what your legal options are. 

Call Us Today to Claim Workers’ Compensation in Missouri

At Piatchek Law Firm, we follow the “golden rule” – we always try to treat others as we would like to be treated. Therefore, we do our best to place ourselves in your shoes and handle your workers’ compensation claim as if it were our own case,or a family member’s case.  Our attorneys take their time to visit with you and explain each step of the process, so that you will understand it. Then, we will give you advice based upon our years of experience. Your case deserves to be aggressively pursued – not only do you want to receive the maximum possible benefits, but you also want to protect your right to future medical care if it is needed. We will fight for your recovery.   

If you or your loved one has been injured on the job in Springfield, Missouri, or elsewhere in Missouri, call our workers compensation attorney at 417-882-5858, or email us using the box on the right-hand side of this page to set up a complimentary consultation. We look forward to talking with you soon.