Injured At Work in Tennessee: Know Your Rights

Tennessee workers' compensation laws affect every single person that wakes up and goes to work in Tennessee on a daily basis. If you are injured at work, you need to have some basic understanding of how the law works and if you are entitled to compensation.

Tennessee workers' compensation law is designed to provide a compromise between employees and employers. The compromise provided by the law is that whenever an employee is hurt at work he or she will have his medical bills paid for by the employer during which time the employee is prohibited from suing the employer for the injuries.  Depending on the severity and type of injury, the employee may be entitled to additional compensation from the employer.  However, there are strict limits on what the employee is able to recover in a worker's compensation claim. Here are the basics:

Do I have a Tennessee Workers' Compensation Claim?

In order for worker’s comp to apply, an employee must be injured in the course and scope of his or her employment. Generally speaking, this means the employee must be engaged in the tasks they were hired to perform at the time they are injured.  There are many factors that weigh-in to whether an employee will be covered under worker's compensation.

What to do Following an on the Job Injury

The employee must provide notice to the employer of the work related injury. It is crucial that an employer be provided notice of an injury as soon as an employee knows or suspects that he or she has sustained an injury. This is crucial to the employee because there is information that an employee must be provided, as well as additional steps taken by an employer, as soon as a workplace injury is reported. Further, there are certain time limits that will bar an injured employee from making a claim if the injury is not reported in a timely fashion.

Choosing Which Doctor to Visit

When a workers' comp injury occurs the employee must pick a doctor from a three (3) doctor panel provided by the employer.  Therefore, if you are injured at work you retain the general option of picking your own physician, but you are not free to go see your family doctor or orthopedist as soon as you would be if you were injured outside of the workplace. The employer may grant the employee permission to see a family doctor, but is not required to do so.

Considering Calling a Workers' Compensation Attorney

Assuming that an injured employee has complied with the details mentioned above, the employer must pay for all medical costs associated with the injury. This includes emergency room and hospital visits, ambulance rides, doctor’s visits, physical therapy appointments, and medical equipment such as crutches, braces or wheelchairs.  Depending on the severity and permanency of the injury, you may be entitled to additional compensation.  If you are unsure of your worker's compensation rights, you should contact an experienced worker's compensation attorney. 

The Tennessee lawyers with Bailey & Greer can provide you with the expert and personal legal team you need if you or a loved one has suffered an injury at work. Call today to request a free initial consultation. We can be reached toll free at 888-470-9143. At Bailey & Greer, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.