Ohio’s workers’ compensation system exists to help employees who’ve been hurt on the job, including those whose job is caring for the rest of us. However, getting those benefits can be challenging, as it involves a complex claims process, layers of bureaucracy, and insurance companies that jealously guard their profits. You spend your days working in dangerous conditions to help other people. You shouldn’t have to worry about how you’re going to get the benefits you’re owed.
That’s where the Columbus-based workers’ compensation attorneys of Philip J. Fulton Law Office come in. We have more than 40 years of experience helping injured workers secure the benefits they need to cover their medical expenses and lost wages while they recuperate from a work-related injury, and our founding attorney literally wrote the book on workers’ comp in the state. We’d be honored to serve you, too.
Don’t hesitate to get the help you need during this challenging time. Call our law firm for a free initial consultation with a lawyer who handles workers’ compensation for healthcare workers, and let us pursue your case on your behalf.
Healthcare workers in Columbus and elsewhere in Ohio are particularly vulnerable to work injuries because of the nature of the work they perform. Work in the healthcare field can be emotionally and physically demanding, and it can involve exposure to environmental hazards in the form of sick patients and caustic chemicals. Common hazards healthcare workers encounter include:
These hazards can lead to serious injuries, such as:
In many states, employers are free to purchase workers’ compensation insurance from any provider they wish. Ohio is different. All employers with one or more employees must buy coverage directly from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) or qualify for another state-approved option. When you’re injured in Ohio, your workers’ comp claim is filed with and managed by the BWC.
However, large employers, including many major hospital systems, are allowed to self-insure their workers’ compensation obligations. If your employer is self-insured, you’ll file your claim with your employer’s claims administrator, rather than with the BWC. Large employers also tend to have considerable resources with which they can hire teams of lawyers to contest workers’ compensation claims. If your employer is self-insured, it’s a good idea to hire an Ohio workers’ compensation lawyer from a reputable law firm to pursue the benefits you deserve.
Most healthcare workers classified as employees are covered under Ohio workers’ compensation law, including:
Other workers are not covered by workers’ compensation. Independent contractors are not usually covered, and some home health workers may be classified in ways that make them ineligible. If you don’t know whether you qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, contact a skilled workers’ compensation lawyer from Philip J. Fulton Law Office.
Ohio workers’ compensation law provides these benefits to covered workers:
To start your workers’ comp claim, notify your employer of your injury, ideally, within 24 hours. You should make this notification in writing for your records. Seek medical treatment from a BWC-certified provider.
Next, you will need to file a First Report of Injury (FROI) with the Ohio BWC. Your employer is also required to report your injury. The BWC will assign a claim number and an agent to manage your case.
Once your claim has been filed, the BWC may allow, deny, or contest it. If your claim is denied or contested, you’ll need to take your case before the Ohio Industrial Commission. At this point, if you haven’t already done so, consider engaging an attorney from a law firm that handles workers’ compensation cases. Your attorney can handle all the legal aspects of your claim so that you can focus on resting and getting better.
In the event that your claim is denied, an attorney can appeal the decision through the following three levels of the Ohio Industrial Commission, as necessary:
Workers’ compensation claims are complicated, and one wrong move could jeopardize your access to the benefits you deserve. Fortunately, you don’t have to pursue your case on your own. Philip J. Fulton Law Office in Columbus can help you by:
We’ve been helping injured Ohioans access the benefits they’re entitled to for over 40 years, and we know the system inside and out. In fact, our founding attorney literally wrote the book on workers’ compensation in Ohio. Let us put our skills and insight to work on your behalf, and at no out-of-pocket cost to you.
If you’re an Ohio healthcare worker who was hurt at work, turn to Philip J. Fulton Law Office in Columbus for support. Our lawyers represent injured people every day, and we know how to build a successful workers’ compensation case.
