Have you been injured in a work-related accident in Cleveland, Ohio? Call Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers at (216) 510-9985 today to schedule a free consultation. You may qualify for critical monetary benefits to offset your lost wages and medical bills, and our experienced Cleveland workers’ compensation lawyers can help you fight for the full value of your claim.
Since our opening, we’ve stood beside injured workers in Cleveland and helped them push back against insurance companies that are dead set on limiting their financial recoveries in the wake of serious on-the-job accidents. Drawing on 181+ years of combined experience, we help our clients recover millions of dollars in benefits, settlements, and jury awards every year.
Discover how we can help you make the most of your claim for workers’ compensation benefits by contacting our Cleveland law office for a free case review. We’re available to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Why Trust Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers With Your Claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Cleveland, OH
Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers fights to help injured workers recover the workers’ compensation benefits they need. With nearly two centuries of combined experience and a Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist on our team, our Cleveland personal injury lawyers have the knowledge and resources to handle even challenging claims and pursue the compensation our clients deserve.
We’re honored to be recognized as:
- Super Lawyers
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40
- The Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum members
- Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished litigators
Workers’ compensation claims in Cleveland, OH, aren’t always easy or straightforward. You need an attorney with hands-on experience, a working and evolving knowledge of the laws and regulations that affect the claims process, and an understanding of what it takes to make a claim successful. You need Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers.
Call our office to learn more about how we can help with your fight for workers’ compensation benefits. We offer a free case review with a Cleveland personal injury attorney, and there’s no cost to hire our law firm until we’ve recovered benefits on your behalf.
Understanding Your Rights Under Ohio’s Workers’ Compensation System
When you get hurt on the job in Cleveland, you shouldn’t have to worry about how to pay for your medical bills or offset a sudden loss of income during your recovery. Under Ohio’s workers’ compensation system, you might not have to. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system in which most employers in Ohio must participate. Most private employers obtain coverage through the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, while qualifying employers may receive authorization to self-insure.
Employers maintain workers’ compensation coverage in the event that an employee is injured or becomes ill on the job. The worker can file a claim for benefits and, if approved, have qualifying medical expenses covered and receive applicable disability benefits. In exchange for workers’ compensation coverage, employers are generally protected from lawsuits by employees for work-related injuries. However, exceptions to this immunity can apply, including certain claims involving intentional conduct by an employer.
Who Qualifies for Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Ohio?
Not everyone qualifies for workers’ compensation benefits. There are certain prerequisites that must be met before benefits will be awarded.
You may qualify for workers’ compensation if:
- Your employer has one or more employees
- You’re an employee (not an independent contractor)
- Your injuries were sustained in the course of your employment
Insurance adjusters might try to dispute your status as an employee and/or whether your injuries were actually work-related as grounds for denying your claim. Our workers’ compensation attorneys in Cleveland know how to push back, provide the evidence to show our clients qualify, and force meaningful payouts when they matter most.
Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits Available To Injured Workers in Cleveland
Workers’ compensation offers economic support to workers facing medical treatment and time away from work due to a job-related injury or illness.
Possible benefits include:
- Medical benefits to pay for reasonable and necessary costs of treatment for a work-related injury
- Temporary Total (TT) disability benefits to alleviate short-term losses of income while you recover
- Living maintenance benefits to offset lost wages while you’re completing a rehabilitation program
- Scheduled loss, or permanent partial disability, benefits to compensate for amputations, loss of vision or hearing, loss of use of a body part or function, or stiffening of the joints
- Percent of permanent partial benefits to offset a reduction of earning capacity related to a loss of use injury
- Permanent total disability when you’re unable to perform “sustained, paid employment” because of your workplace injury
Workers may also qualify for change of occupation benefits or a one-time facial disfigurement benefit in some situations. When a workplace injury or occupational disease is fatal, surviving family members may qualify for death benefits to help cover funeral expenses and mitigate the loss of the worker’s income.
It’s important to know that while medical bills might be covered by workers’ compensation in their entirety, your lost wages won’t be. In most situations, Ohio law permits a worker to receive up to two-thirds of their pre-injury average weekly wage. However, even that award is subject to statutory limitations.
What’s My Workers’ Compensation Claim Worth?
There is no standard amount that an injured worker receives through a workers’ compensation claim. The value of your claim is tied to the financial and medical effects of your workplace injury, including the benefits you qualify to receive and how long you may need them.
Factors that can affect your claim’s value include:
- The extent of your injury
- How long it’ll take you to achieve maximum medical improvement (MMI)
- Your pre-injury wages and income
- The amount of time you’re unable to work
- Whether you suffer from a permanent impairment or disability
- Statutory caps on lost wage benefits at the time of your injury
While more serious injuries tend to result in more substantial benefits packages, a claim’s value really depends on the unique factors at play. Working with an experienced Cleveland workers’ compensation attorney can help you understand what your claim is worth and provide the tools and resources needed to achieve the results you deserve.
Does Ohio’s Comparative Negligence Rule Affect Workers’ Compensation Claims?
Workers’ compensation is not subject to Ohio’s modified comparative negligence rule. Sharing responsibility for your workplace injury isn’t a bar to recovery, nor will it limit or reduce the benefits you can recover.
You can still receive workers’ compensation benefits even if you were partly at fault for your injury. The workers’ compensation system also generally protects employers from lawsuits over work-related injuries, although exceptions can apply.
What Does It Cost To Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Cleveland?
Our workers’ compensation attorneys in Cleveland, OH, represent clients on a contingency fee basis. We’ll pursue your claim – and front the costs of litigation along the way – without you paying a penny up front. We only recover a fee if we recover monetary benefits for you.
You pay absolutely nothing if we don’t recover benefits for you. There’s no risk in asking for our help, so don’t hesitate to call us for assistance today.
How Long Will I Have To File a Claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Ohio?
You’ll have one year from the date you were injured on the job in Cleveland to file a First Report of Injury, Occupational Disease or Death (FROI) with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
The statute of limitations can differ for cases involving occupational illnesses or wrongful death, so it is important to consult an experienced attorney immediately to determine which set of rules might apply if you find yourself in one of these situations.
Once the statute of limitations runs out, your right to bring a claim will be forfeited.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Cleveland Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Workers’ compensation offers considerable economic relief when your life has been turned upside-down by a workplace accident. At Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers, we understand the value of a swift, favorable recovery, so we’re committed to helping our clients achieve optimal results as quickly as possible.
Our Cleveland workers’ compensation attorneys are known and respected legal advocates with a multi-million-dollar track record of success. When your financial security is threatened by a workplace injury in Cleveland, OH, we can help you get the benefits you need until things calm down.
There’s no charge for an initial case review, so contact us to schedule yours today.