Victims of a work injury in El Paso can find it daunting to explore the process of compensation. Between workers’ compensation and personal injury claims, there are many serious decisions you will need to make. Because of the serious nature of these decisions, you should consider your options with knowledgeable and trustworthy legal counsel.
Finding the right attorney for you is key to making the right decisions when pursuing compensation for a workplace injury. In this blog, we will review the important questions you should ask about work injuries when exploring legal representation in the El Paso, TX area before discussing the benefits of Texas work injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw.
What Constitutes a Work Injury?A work injury is any injury, disease, or illness that occurs in the course of fulfilling your job duties. What constitutes a work injury is usually defined very narrowly. A narrow definition of work injury means that things like car accidents during your commute are not considered work injuries.
It can be difficult to understand when an injury is or is not considered a work injury—especially for jobs that require you to travel or perform off-site functions. Speaking to personal injury lawyers in El Paso, TX can help you resolve any questions about whether or not an injury is work related.
What are Some Options When Seeking Compensation?Generally speaking, workers have three options when seeking compensation for a work injury in Texas: workers’ compensation, suing your employer, or suing a responsible third party.
Workers’ compensation is an insurance program administered by the Texas Department of Insurance and their Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC). Workers’ compensation covers injuries or illnesses that lead to a loss of work and wages for at least one week. Workers’ compensation can cover all medical expenses, but will only pay a portion of your lost wages.
Workers’ compensation is only available if your employer pays for workers’ compensation insurance. Unlike many states, Texas does not require employers to purchase workers’ compensation. However, unlike in many other states, workers can sue their employees in Texas.
How Can I Sue My Employer or a Third Party?Suing an employer or responsible third party for your work injury is considered a personal injury claim. In personal injury claims, you must prove that the other party’s negligence was responsible for the injury. If you’re interested in pursuing a claim against an employer or third party, you should speak to a lawyer as early as you can in the process.
While it may be easy enough to understand who you are suing when suing your employer, understanding what third party might be responsible can be a little more difficult.
Third parties include:
Hopefully, these FAQs for El Paso Work Injury Attorneys have helped you understand the basics of pursuing a work injury claim. If this information has emboldened you to pursue the compensation you deserve, contact Carabin Shaw today. Carabin Shaw is a trusted law firm that offers a free case review and initial consultation.
Call our toll-free number 800-862-1260 to speak to a representative about your case. Our staff is ready to discuss your case with you 24/7 in both English AND Spanish. You can even review Carabin Shaw’s client reviews to see how dedicated we are to fighting for our clients. Fighting for rightful compensation for a work injury is a difficult process—take the first step today by calling Carabin Shaw.