An employee rights lawyer in Crowley, LA represents clients who are having difficulty with a workers’ compensation case. The workers’ comp insurer or the employer may be disputing the claim. The employer may have made vague threats about the possibility of termination if the employee were to file a claim. If this individual has been away from work due to the injury, there may be pressure from the company to return before healing is complete.
Unlawful Termination
Employers are legally prohibited from firing employees because they filed for workers’ compensation. Even if the person is off work for several months, the employer must offer the same job afterward or a comparable one. There are exceptions, however, which a lawyer like Chris Richard Attorney at Law can explain.
One exception is if this individual is no longer able to do the work, which sometimes happens after a serious injury. In that case, the person may be eligible for vocational training for another occupation or a settlement to cover a permanent disability.
Another exception involves changes at the business. For instance, if the employee worked in a department that was eliminated and all the co-workers lost their jobs, the employee also has been permanently laid off.
Returning to Work
The employee is not supposed to return to work until a doctor verifies that they can do so without risk of worsening the injury or having it happen again. This is not the same as maximum medical improvement, as it may be all right to return when there is still some improvement expected.
Preparing for a Consultation
Before a consultation with an employee rights lawyer in Crowley, LA, the individual should be prepared with supporting documentation from healthcare practitioners. This person should bring any relevant written communications from the employer and insurer. It may be possible to fax the documents or send copies through email. A list of questions can be brought along too so this employee doesn’t forget to ask something important.
Workers’ comp lawyers usually do not bill for retainer fees, hourly fees or any other payments during the process. Instead, they accept a percentage of the compensation the individual finally receives. You can connect with them on Facebook for more updates!
