Workers' Compensation Attorney in St. Louis, Missouri

According to the Missouri Department of Labor, there were 7,532 workers' compensation injuries filed in May of 2021 alone. If you have been hurt at work and are trying to figure out how to file a claim for compensation, an experienced Missouri workers' compensation attorney can help you navigate the process.

For over 30 years, the Law Offices of Joe Phillips has been working with clients who have been injured at work and need workers’ compensation to help cover their medical costs. Personal injury attorney Joe Phillips aims to level the playing field for individuals and families whose lives have been devastated by catastrophic injury and are facing the challenge of filing a claim to seek justice for their injuries.

His extensive experience handling complex cases involving medical and engineering issues has allowed him to help injured victims receive the compensation they need to cover medical bills, lost wages, and more. Joe Phillips is proud to help clients in St. Louis, Missouri and the surrounding areas of St. Charles County, Jefferson County, and St. Louis County — so if you’ve been injured on the job and wish to pursue a workers’ compensation claim, call the Law Offices of Joe Phillips today for a free consultation.

Overview of Workers’ Compensation in Missouri

Workers' compensation is a state program designed to compensate individuals for injuries suffered while working on the job. Every employer that has five or more employees must fulfill its workers’ compensation obligations under Missouri law. For labor jobs such as construction, employers with one or more employees must have workers’ compensation benefits. The only employees not covered under state workers’ compensation laws are railroad, postal, and maritime workers, as these employees are covered under federal law.

According to the Missouri Department of Labor, the injuries covered require that accident be the prevailing factor in causing the resulting medical condition and disability. The injury must arise out of and in the course of employment to qualify for workers’ compensation.

Filing a Claim

If you are injured at work, you must report your injury immediately. If you do not report the injury within 30 days of its occurrence, you jeopardize your ability to file a claim and receive any benefits. In filing the claim, you must give written notice to your employer and include:

• The date, time, and place of the injury,

• The nature of the injury

• The name and address of the person injured

In order to have a successful claim, you must prove that the injury arose out of and in the course of your employment. This means that you were injured at work specifically because of the duties you were required to perform at work.

Benefits Available

Workers' compensation has a myriad of different kinds of benefits available, depending on the nature of your claim. You can, of course, receive medical benefits to cover the treatment of your injuries, but you may also be entitled to temporary total disability benefits and permanent partial or permanent total disability benefits. These are payments that are paid out to you during the period of time that you are unable to work due to the nature of your injuries.

If your loved one has died after suffering a work injury, some surviving individuals, such as the victim’s spouse or children, may also be entitled to weekly benefits. This is why it is so important that you seek the counsel of an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who can examine the details of your unique situation and outline a strategic plan that can help you move forward.

Appealing a Decision

When pursuing a workers’ compensation claim, employees will typically go through a hearing process in which a judge issues an award. If the employee does not agree with the judge’s decision, they may file an application for review within 20 days of the date of the award from the judge. The appeal must be filed with the Labor and Industrial Relation Commission. The Commission will review the decision and either agree or disagree with the judge’s decision. If the employee disagrees with the Commission, second and third appeals are also possible.

Get The Help You Need Today

At the end of the day, navigating the ins and outs of a workers’ compensation claim is never easy while you’re attempting to recover from the injuries you’ve sustained. Luckily, you don’t have to go through these challenges on your own.

For over 30 years, personal injury attorney Joe Phillips has been working with individuals and families throughout the Greater St. Louis area to help them pursue compensation for their injuries. He can take an exhaustive look at the details of your case, outline a strategic plan to pursue maximum compensation, and fight to protect your rights at every phase of the legal process. If you or someone you know has been injured on the job, don’t wait. Call or reach out to the Law Offices of Joe Phillips today to schedule a free case consultation.