Have you been injured on the job in Reno, NV? If so, you might be entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits for workplace injuries.
You could also have a legal claim under personal injury laws against the party who caused your workplace accident. After a work-related injury, it is crucial to have legal advice from a trusted Reno workers’ compensation lawyer.
Our Reno workers’ comp attorneys at Battle Born Injury Lawyers have over 85 years of collective legal experience representing injured workers. For over a decade, our law firm has fought to get the benefits and compensation injured employees deserve. As a result, our law firm has recovered more than $100 million in financial awards for our clients.
Contact our Reno workers’ compensation attorneys today at (775) 535-7768 for a free consultation. Our top-rated personal injury lawyers in Reno, Nevada, stand up for your rights and protect your best interests.
How Battle Born Injury Lawyers Can Help You Through the Workers’ Compensation Claims Process
Most employers in the State of Nevada must purchase workers’ compensation insurance coverage for their employees. However, that does not mean your employer or the workers’ compensation insurance company treats you fairly when you file a workers’ compensation claim.
The best way to protect your right to fair compensation is to have aggressive legal representation from experienced workers’ compensation attorneys in Reno. At Battle Born Injury Lawyers, our legal team takes on the largest insurance companies in the country. We aggressively pursue your claim from start to finish.
When you hire Battle Born Injury Lawyers to handle your workers’ compensation claim, you can expect a top-rated, award-winning Reno injury attorney to:
- Complete an exhaustive investigation to gather evidence proving how you sustained an injury at work
- Notify all parties of your workers’ compensation claim and file a claim for workers’ comp benefits
- Handle all aspects of your workers’ compensation case, including preparing and filing all required documents, appearing at hearings, and filing appeals
- Negotiate a settlement for the full value of your workers’ comp claim
- Hire medical experts and other expert witnesses to assist with your case, as necessary
- Explore third-party claims to get you more money for your workplace accident
- Provide you with the support, advice, and guidance you need as we navigate the claims process
Call us today to schedule a free case review with one of our Reno workers’ comp attorneys. Ensure you have the facts about your Reno workers’ compensation case by choosing our top-notch personal injury lawyers.
The Workers’ Compensation System in Nevada
Nevada’s workers’ compensation laws protect employees injured on the job. Workers’ compensation also applies to occupational illnesses and repetitive stress injuries sustained at work.
Nevada employees with at least one employee must have workers’ comp coverage. This no-fault system provides benefits for injured workers without requiring workers to prove negligence or fault for the accident. However, in exchange for the no-fault benefits the workers’ compensation system provides, workers give up the right to sue their employer in almost every instance.
Injured workers can receive monetary benefits for lost wages if they cannot work because of a work-related illness or injury. They also receive medical treatment at no cost. In addition, workers can receive disability benefits if an injury at work results in an impairment that prevents them from working.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits Paid to Injured Workers in Reno
Understanding the benefits you are entitled to for an injury at work helps you know what to expect when filing a workers’ comp case. Our Reno workers’ comp attorneys explain the benefits you can receive based on the facts of your case.
This summary of workers’ comp benefits explains some of the benefits you could be entitled to receive after a work accident:
Medical Care
You are entitled to medical treatment for a work injury at no cost. Workers’ compensation covers the cost of necessary and reasonable medical care.
However, you cannot go to any doctor to receive treatment for a work injury or illness. Instead, you must see a doctor pre-approved by your employer or workers’ comp insurance provider.
If you sustain an injury at work that requires emergency care, you should go to the nearest emergency room. After that, you must receive treatment from a doctor on the preferred provider list.
Benefits for Loss of Income
If your job-related injury means you cannot return to work immediately, you can receive benefits to offset your loss of income. However, workers’ comp lost wage benefits do not compensate you for all loss of income.
Workers’ Compensation Temporary Disability Benefits
If you cannot perform any work duties, you can receive Temporary Total Disability (TTD) benefits. TTD benefits equal approximately two-thirds of your average weekly wage before the injury.
However, if your doctor states you can return to work with restrictions, you could receive Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) benefits. You receive approximately two-thirds of the difference between your income before the accident and the amount you earn on light duty.
Workers’ Compensation Permanent Disability Benefits
A worker who sustains a permanent impairment or disability can receive either Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) or Permanent Total Disability (PTD) benefits. If your work injury resulted in total disability, you should receive PTD benefits.
PPD compensates you for the decrease in earning capacity because of a permanent impairment. The award is usually made in a lump sum payment based on your pre-injury earnings, impairment rating, and other factors.
Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits
Sometimes, a workplace accident results in an impairment that prevents the person from returning to work. However, the person can perform some types of work.
Vocational rehabilitation provides a worker with job training for a new career or job. The training is based on the physical restrictions your doctor says prevent you from performing some types of work.
Death Benefits for Family Members
If a worker dies because of a work injury or accident, the family members can receive death benefits. A surviving spouse might receive two-thirds of their spouse’s average weekly wage before the injury. They might also receive benefits for reasonable funeral and burial expenses.
Deadlines for Filing Workers’ Compensation Claims in Reno, NV, for a Workplace Accident
You might not receive benefits if you miss the deadline for filing a workers’ compensation claim. The filing deadlines for workers’ comp claims are:
- You must notify your employer of a work injury or accident within seven days. Your employer should give you a Notice of Injury or Occupational Disease form (C-1 form) to complete.
- Injured workers have 90 days to seek medical treatment and begin the workers’ compensation claims process. The doctor sends your employer a C-4 form (Report of Initial Treatment). The C-4 form begins a workers’ comp claim.
- The employer must complete a C-3 form within six days of receiving the Report of Initial Treatment. The form states your wage history before the accident.
Typically, it is best to report workplace accidents and injuries to your employer immediately. Prompt medical treatment is also wise. Waiting to seek treatment could raise questions of whether your injury is related to your job or happened while you were working.
Contributory Fault and Workers’ Compensation Claims in Nevada
If you are partially to blame for a personal injury, your compensation can be reduced by your level of fault under Nevada’s comparative negligence law. Compensation is only barred if you are 51% or more to blame for your injury.
However, workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. Therefore, if you are partly to blame for your work injury, you can still recover full benefits. However, if you intentionally caused your work injury, were intoxicated, or using drugs, you might not be entitled to workers’ comp benefits.
What Is a Third-Party Claim for a Workplace Accident?
While you might not be able to sue your employer for a work-related injury, you might have a personal injury claim against a third party. Examples of third-party claims for workplace accidents include, but are not limited to:
- Product liability claims against manufacturers for injuries caused by defective products.
- Premises liability claims against property owners for injuries caused by unsafe conditions.
- Claims against a driver for a car accident caused while you were on the job.
- A claim against a subcontractor for negligence.
Unlike a workers’ compensation claim, you must prove fault and causation for a third-party claim. In other words, you have the burden of proving the other party caused your injury and that you sustained damages to recover compensation. Contributory fault applies to third-party claims.
The compensation for a third-party personal injury case can be substantially more than workers’ comp benefits. You could receive compensation for all economic damages and financial losses. You could also receive compensation for non-economic damages, including pain and suffering.
Our workers’ compensation lawyers in Reno evaluate your case to determine if you have a third-party claim. We pursue all legal actions to maximize your compensation for a workplace accident.
Contact Our Reno Workers’ Compensation Attorneys for a Free Consultation
A work-related injury can be devastating. You need the full benefits you are entitled to receive by law. Our Reno workers’ compensation lawyers work with you to get your benefits. Call us for a free case evaluation to discuss your workplace accident and injury.
