Employers in the United States are required by law to provide a safe and suitable working environment, free of unreasonable hazard, for all employees. Iowa workers compensation law is designed to protect workers financially in the event of an on-the-job accident or injury.

Rights Under Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ in every state in the US are covered by workers’ compensation laws, though the specifics can vary from state to state. Employers are required to provide insurance that covers all regular employees in the event of a workers’ compensation claim.

An employee is eligible to file a claim if he or she is injured, or contracts an illness, while working for the employer.

Workers’ compensation laws provide payment for medical and rehabilitative services, as well as replacing lost wages.

What To Do When You are Injured at Work

The most important thing that you must do if you are injured at work is to notify a supervisor immediately, so that he or she can begin the workers’ compensation claim process. You may be referred to another department, such as human resources, or your own department may handle the claim directly. The sooner you report an incident, the sooner you can start the process.

The employer is responsible for insuring that you receive immediate medical care. You should not be required to submit any payment for medical care you receive in relation to a workplace injury.

You will be required to fill out paperwork explaining what happened and may also be interviewed by representatives of your company and the insurance agency. Many employers will also require the injured to submit a drug screen.

When to Retain a Lawyer

While you are not required to retain a lawyer, most experts do recommend it. Throughout the workers’ compensation process, you will be asked to sign legal and medical paperwork that will dictate how your claims are paid out. Having a lawyer look over these proceedings can give you peace of mind and ensure that you retain all of your rights and receive proper compensation.

Workers’ compensation lawyers will often provide a complimentary phone call or in-person meeting to discuss your case. If the lawyer decides that you would benefit from his services, you can then set up an agreement to retain him or her. Most workers’ compensation lawyers provide services on a contingency basis, meaning that there are no up-front expenses. Instead, the lawyer would be paid an agreed-upon percentage of any forthcoming settlement amount that you receive.