When people are injured at work, their first concern is often getting the medical attention they need to be able to begin on the road to recovery. However, it is imperative that they are timely in their quest to seek workers’ compensation before too much time lapses and their request becomes void. The risks that people face in their jobs vary from industry to industry, but workers’ compensation is a valuable resource for both employers and employees in Minnesota when used the correct way.
In a recent case out of Arlington Heights, Illinois, an Arlington Heights police officer who has been an employee for 20 years, has been awarded over $45,000 after her involvement in a training exercise caused injury. This is the second payment that the woman has received during the course of her career with the police department following another injury that allegedly injured her right hand and thumb.
Despite the injuries and the lawsuit that was filed by the woman after she and her employer were unable to agree on what had happened, the woman continues to be employed by the police department. Following the claims, she filed, it is unknown if the police department implemented any changes to prevent similar injuries to other officers.
When injuries happen in the workplace and there are disagreements on who should accept responsibility for what happened, people can benefit from the assistance of a legal professional. An experienced attorney is well-versed in the rights of workers and can establish grounds for why an injured worker should be receiving compensation.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Arlington Heights approves $46K workers’ compensation settlement for police officer,” Alexandra Kukulka, Mar. 15, 2019