Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Lima, Ohio

Overview of Workers’ Compensation in Ohio

Workers’ compensation can be described as insurance coverage that offers medical benefits, income replacement, and other disability benefits to employees who suffer injuries or illnesses while on-the-job. In addition, workers’ compensation provides death benefits to eligible surviving dependents of deceased workers.

Which Employees Are Covered?

Under Ohio law, all companies with employees – regardless of the number of workers – must purchase workers’ compensation insurance coverage. However, there are exceptions for individuals in the following categories:

• Volunteer workers
• Partners in a partnership
• A sole proprietor with no employee
• LLC acting as a sole proprietor or a partnership
• Ministers of a religious body
• Family farm corporate officers
• Domestic workers – such as housekeepers, cooks, babysitters, and gardeners – earning less than $160 per calendar quarter.

What Injuries Are Covered?

Ohio workers’ compensation insurance covers all physical injuries or diseases sustained in the course of and arising out of employment. Here are some common injuries covered by workers’ compensation insurance:

• Back injuries
• Head injury
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Burn injuries
• Spinal cord injuries or paralysis
• Electrocution
• Fractures and broken bones
• Joint injuries – dislocation or inflammation of the joints
• Ear and eye injuries
• Amputation
• Occupational diseases
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

If you or someone close to you has suffered a workplace injury or illness, you need to reach out to a skilled workers’ compensation attorney immediately. Your attorney can explore your options to seek benefits and walk you through the claims process.

Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim

Here are the steps involved in filing a workers’ compensation claim in Ohio:

• Seek adequate medical treatment from a qualified physician.
• Inform your doctor about your injuries or illness. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
• Report your illness or injury to your employer as soon as possible.
• File an official workers’ compensation claim with the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC).
• Depending on the nature of your illness or injury, you will need either an Occupational Disease form or a First Report of Injury (FROI) form.
• The BWC will issue you a claim number. You can use this to monitor the status of your claim.
• Retain a skilled lawyer to help file your workers’ compensation claim.

An experienced attorney can help fill and submit the necessary forms, gather the necessary evidence and documentation to support your workers’ compensation claim, and help pursue your deserved benefits.

Benefits Available

The following workers’ compensation benefits may be available to injured employees in Ohio:

• Medical benefits
• Wage loss
• Living maintenance
• Temporary total – compensation for temporary disability
• Scheduled loss – compensation for amputations and loss of use of hearing and vision.
• Permanent total disability
• Change of occupation
• Facial disfigurement
• Death benefits

A knowledgeable attorney can help file your workers’ compensation claims, attempt to recover your deserved benefits or help file an appeal if your claims are denied.

Appealing a Decision

However, if your workers’ compensation claim in Ohio is denied, you can appeal the initial decision. Your legal counsel can petition an appeal at the District, Staff, or Commission level, respectively. A hearing will be scheduled within 45 days of filing an appeal. If your appeal is denied at the District level, you can always proceed to the next level. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help file your appeal and represent you diligently at every phase of the appeal process.

Work With a Knowledgeable Personal Injury Attorney

Sustaining a workplace injury or occupational disease can be an unsettling experience and can affect you physically, emotionally, or financially. Fortunately, you may be eligible to pursue financial compensation – including medical benefits and lost wages – by filing workers’ compensation claims. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney can explore your various options to seek workers’ compensation benefits and help file your claims.

At Siferd & Associates, LPA, our team is committed to offering reliable advocacy and personalized legal counsel to employees who are seeking workers’ compensation benefits for their workplace injuries or illnesses. Our knowledge of the statutes and protocols addressing liability in work-related accident cases can help guide you through the complex claims procedures.