When you’re busy working hard and making money, the last thing you want to worry about is an unexpected injury. While injuries at work are not uncommon, they also deserve recognition and compensation if they were caused by your company’s oversight. If you were injured recently while at work in an ALDI supermarket, you may be entitled to compensation. Workers’ compensation is a national program that requires companies to repay workers for lost wages and injuries incurred while on the job. Continue below to see if you may qualify. About ALDI Unknown to most, ALDI began in 1913 as “Albrecht Discount”, a small food store in a small mining town in Germany. Only over a long period of decades did the mother who started it all entrust the company to her sons, who later expanded the market and opened new stores. By 1968, ALDI had spread to more than 200 locations throughout Europe. Today, ALDI has a staggering 9,200 locations worldwide, all upholding their time-trusted core values of Consistency, Simplicity, and Responsibility. Potential Hazards at ALDI No company is safe from the occasional slip-up or safety hazard, making even ALDI employees at risk for certain accidents like: Slip and falls. Especially when working with produce or on dairy aisles, moisture and liquid build-ups are common — even the smallest puddle of water on the floor can lead to a dangerous slip. Company property should also always be kept clean and free of hazards. During the winter months, things like ice or snow build-up can also cause dangerous conditions by front doors or garbage/drop-off points near the rear of the store. Equipment injuries. As with any supermarket, most restocking requires the use of different carts and transportation devices. These can get clunky or heavy, and occasionally cause anything from minor to major injuries, if not careful. Back and body problems. One of the most common injuries seen while working grocery jobs is the back injury. ALDI requires continuous lifting, bending, and twisting from the majority of its positions, which strains the back, wrists, and legs. Even cashiers are required to stand for long periods of time and, without proper care and cushioning, can face lower back problems that may threaten to develop into something more serious. If you were injured at ALDI, then workers’ comp may qualify you for benefits. Take photographs of your injury as well as the ALDI location where you were injured. Save all medical bills and therapy sessions to supply later. Write a well-documented account of everything leading up to and after your injury, even if it was an injury sustained slowly over time. Then, should you so choose, you can file for workers’ comp by sending a letter to ALDI and its insurance explaining why you believe you are entitled to compensation. What to Do When You Are Injured as a Cashier at Aldi Aldi is a cut price grocery store. At any time as a cashier you could slip and fall and injure yourself while moving to and fro from your cash register because there is a hazard that you weren’t aware of that hadn’t been removed. If you are injured and in order to qualify for workers’ compensation there are certain steps you need to follow. Depending on the state, sometimes you can choose your own medical treatment provider while at other times you may only be treated by a health care facility that has been authorized by the Workers' Compensation Board, except of course if your injury is an emergency. If you require diagnostic tests or prescription medications, Aldi may require you to get your tests or prescribed medicines from a specified provider or designated pharmacy that they have a specific relationship with. Once you have received the necessary treatment you will need to notify Aldi of your injury. Depending on the state there is a maximum time allowed to do this which tends to vary from a mere 24 hours to 30 days. If you don’t do this you risk your right to workers’ compensation. You will be asked to complete a WC claim form. The claim form will ask for details about the injury such as: a description of the injury; the time, date and place where the injury occurred; any other Aldi employees apart from yourself who were involved in the accident, if any; a description of how the accident took place; a description of any medical treatment you have received to date. If you fail to complete the claim form within 2 years of your injury you may lose your right to workers’ compensation. The statute of limitations is dependent on state WC rules. At this stage you should have filed in a safe place any receipts for medical treatment you have had to pay for. This should include any out of pocket expenses such as cost of transport or paid help you have had to use to access your medical treatment. Any unpaid invoices for medical treatment you will need to have available too. Your WC claim should be honored by Aldi as long as its insurer accepts your claim. This is the nail biting time when your claim is being assessed by Aldi’s WC insurer. The process should not take long and you will soon be notified of the outcome. If you are not happy with the settlement amount because your diagnosis and treatment options were decided by Aldi’s doctor you may ask for a second opinion made by a doctor of your choice. If you have been unfortunate and had your claim denied you should be entitled to file an appeal. This is the time when you should seek assistance from a workers’ compensation attorney who can work on the appeal on your behalf. Often a WC claim is denied because the insurer is not convinced that your injury as an Aldi cashier actually took place while you were at work. Additionally there maybe flaws in the evidence you have provided. Even in the early stages of the filing of your WC claim you should consider talking to a workers’ compensation attorney who will be able to study your evidence and make suggestions on how you can approve your chances of filing a successful WC claim. Once you have completed the information for filing your claim it could be denied. If this happens your WC attorney can appeal the decision on your behalf. You should never even consider lodging an appeal on your own as Aldi’s insurer will not take you seriously. Gathering Evidence for an Aldi Workers’ Compensation Claim It is essential to get indisputable evidence to support your WC claim when you are injured while working as an Aldi cashier. Possible evidence that can be used for a workers’ compensation claim could include any of the following: photographs taken by work colleagues; witness reports such as work colleagues providing details of how the injury took place; photographic evidence sourced from Aldi’s surveillance cameras; medical report with a plausible diagnosis and medical treatment so far and further medical treatment required written by your physician (if this is permitted); receipts for any medical treatment already paid for; invoices for treatment that still requires payment; receipt for an ambulance if required. Considering a Workers’ Comp Attorney Even if you worry you may not qualify, it is always wise to at least consider speaking with an attorney. Workers’ comp attorneys have a wide spectrum of experience in this field, and can help you determine whether or not your case will qualify. They can help you to organize paperwork, write demand letters, stay in contact with ALDI throughout the process, and even assist you in court should you need to take further action. For a statistically-higher chance at receiving benefits for your workplace injury, consider a free consultation with a workers’ comp attorney near you. *The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against ALDI, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
