When you’re injured while working for Lowe’s, they may be required to pay your medical expenses and help you make up for lost wages. Typically, these types of benefits are provided as part of a workers’ compensation policy. Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that the majority of companies must provide to employees who are hurt at work. This helps injured workers, like you, receive financial relief needed to cover medical costs and missed pay. If your injuries are serious enough that you become permanently or partially disabled, workers’ compensation may also provide added benefits to you. When Am I Entitled to Workers’ Compensation at Lowes? If you work at one of Lowes stores, you could be involved in an accident or become injured for several reasons and be eligible for workers’ compensation such as: slipping and falling on a wet floor; joint damage caused by repetitive movements; back and neck injuries from regular lifting of heavy products. You may work as a truck driver for Lowes and you could be injured in several situations such as: when loading and unloading delivery trucks; falling from a ladder when retrieving a box from a high level; being involved in a truck accident while making a delivery. If you work for Lowes and are involved in a workplace accident that causes you an injury you should be entitled to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits through Lowe’s insurer. Workers’ comp pays for medical treatment and a percentage of wages lost while you are unable to work. Before you can expect to receive any workers compensation you should notify Lowes immediately. Most states set a time limit for filing a workers’ compensation claim which could be just 3 days or up to 12 months. To help support your workers’ compensation claim take statements from any eyewitnesses that saw what happened. You will also need to provide a copy of the accident report, which should be a detailed account of the events that took place that caused your injury or illness. You should keep all your medical records such as your physician’s notes, medical bills, prescription receipts, receipts for any medical devices you require, notes from physical therapy sessions and any other medical care your injuries required. Potential Workplace Accidents at Lowe’s Lowe’s is a national home improvement store that has been in business for more than 60 years. They offer the parts, materials, and tools needed for individuals who take a do-it-yourself approach to home improvement. Their approximately 265,000 employees fill in-store positions like: Sales specialist Stocker Cashier Lot attendant Lawn and garden center If you work at one of the 1,840 Lowe’s stores, you could be involved in a common retail accident with injuries like: Slipping and falling on wet floors in the garden center Joint damage from repetitive movements Back and neck injuries from lifting heavy inventory In addition to retail roles, Lowe’s employs warehouse workers and truck drivers at their more than 30 distribution centers across the United States. As an employee working in a warehouse or as a truck driver, you may be hurt in incidents like: Loading and unloading delivery trucks Falling from ladders while retrieving boxes Being involved in a truck accident while making deliveries Whether you work at a Lowe’s retail store or one of their distribution centers, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits if you are hurt on the job. For some more information about specific cases at Lowe's, please see our pages: Preparing Your Claim Against Lowe's Workers’ Comp. After I Fell off a Ladder Working at Lowe’s Workers’ Comp. After I Got Hurt Working in a Lowe’s* Warehouse Workers' Comp. After I Was Hurt Operating a Forklift at a Lowe’s* Workers' Comp. After Object Fell on Head at Lowe's Workers' Comp for an Injured Ankle at Lowe's Workers Comp. for Injured Knee at Lowe’s Workers’ Comp for a Pinched Nerve at Lowe's Workers' Comp for Bursitis at Lowe's Workers' Comp for a Bad Back at Lowe's Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Lowe’s Lowe’s Workers’ Compensation Requirements Workers’ compensation laws are unique in each state. These laws determine what types of benefits companies need to offer to their hurt workers. Most states require large companies, like Lowe’s, to provide some kind of compensation to employees hurt on the job. This can include benefits from a private policy or through your state’s workers’ compensation system. Either way, these mostly mandatory laws help protect you, as an injured worker, and provide you with medical care and wage repayment. Both full time and part time employees are covered under Lowe's workers' compensation. Lowe’s Workers’ Compensation Case In the Alabama workers’ compensation case, Soti v. Lowe’s, Mr. Soti injured his back while lifting a pallet of plants while employed in a Lowe’s garden center. As a result of his injuries, Mr. Soti had to undergo three separate surgeries in order to correct several issues, including a herniated disc in his back. Mr. Soti was awarded medical costs, attorney’s fees, and lost wages as part of his workers’ compensation claim. Since he was also partially disabled, Mr. Soti was given an additional settlement amount. How To File a Workers’ Comp Claim Against Lowe’s If you are an employee of Lowe’s who is involved in a workplace accident that results in injuries, you will want to file a claim for Lowe’s workers’ compensation benefits. The claims process can vary somewhat from one state to the next, but in general, there are some basic steps that must be followed, and the benefits are basically the same. Workers’ comp covers medical benefits and will pay a portion of your lost wages while you are recovering. You will usually receive about two-thirds your regular pay while you are unable to work per physician’s orders. If you were involved in a workplace accident, you will need to notify your employer right away. This is essential to a successful workers’ compensation claim. Depending on the state laws where you work and live, you may have anywhere from 3 days to as long as a year to notify Lowe’s of your workplace injury. You then have a limited amount of time to get the actual workers’ compensation claim paperwork filed to ask for benefits to cover your expenses associated with your workplace accident at Lowe’s Home Improvement Center. What To Do After Your Accident Be sure to establish medical care right away. If your injuries are serious, don’t hesitate to ask for an ambulance to be called. If you are being transported by private vehicle, ask about the network of workers’ comp providers. Most employers and their insurers contract with specific medical providers for workers’ comp claims. Failure to see an in-network provider could result in you having to cover the costs of your own medical expenses. Maintain thorough documentation. This means keep copies of medical bills, medical records, prescription receipts, receipts for medical devices, and copies of any physician notes and medical excuses. Document any missed work and lost wages. Maintain thorough documentation. Remember, you will need to provide a statement to Lowe’s regarding what happened and the severity of your injuries. Be sure to jot down some notes about your accident at Lowe’s while it is still fresh in your memory. You should be as detailed as possible, making notes about what you were doing at the time of the accident, how and why the accident occurred, who was present when the accident took place, how you were hurt, and the extent of your injuries. Be very specific in your detailed description. Example Scenarios of a Lowe’s Workplace Accident If you are an employee of Lowe’s, you could be helping a customer by cutting boards for them. If the board kicks back while you are sawing, you could suffer a deep laceration to the hand that damages tendons and ligaments. This injury might require surgery to ensure the ligaments and tendons heal properly and so your hand can properly recover so you can use it in the future. Your medical bills will include the emergency room visit, specialist treatment, follow-up medical visits, the wound care, prescriptions, surgery, and physical therapy. These costs will add up quickly, and you will find yourself unable to work for quite some time while you are healing from the injuries. Workers’ comp will pay about two-thirds of your regular salary at Lowe’s while you are unable to perform your work duties because of the injuries suffered in the workplace accident. You may be an employee of Lowe’s who was on a ladder to get some stock out of the warehouse. The ladder toppled you over, causing you to fall several feet and land on the concrete floor. You landed on your side, suffering shoulder, arm, and back injuries. All these injuries are painful and will require intensive care for full healing. You could find yourself unable to work for several months, and then when you do return to work, you might have to take on a different role that pays less. In many cases, workers’ compensation will cover the cost of vocational retraining and ensure you are prepared to take on a different job role if necessary so you can continue to earn a living. Supporting Documentation For A Lowe’s Workers’ Comp. Claim If you were injured in an accident while working at Lowe’s, you should maintain supporting documentation. There are many legitimate claims that are denied. First, make note of any witnesses. Statements from eyewitnesses that corroborate your story regarding what happened are very beneficial. You will need a copy of the accident report, which should contain a detailed account of what happened. You will need to provide a statement for this accident report filing. Keep all your medical records, medical bills, prescription receipts, receipts for medical devices, notes from physical therapy and any other medical care your injuries require. Keep copies of medical excuses and physician notes. Also, check to see if the accident was caught on surveillance video. Lowe’s has surveillance cameras throughout the store for various safety reasons. If your accident was caught on video, your workplace injury attorney can ask that it be submitted as evidence for your workers’ compensation claim. Because Lowe’s workers’ compensation claims can be challenging, a workers’ compensation attorney who is licensed in your state can be very helpful for your claim after you suffered injuries on the job. When you enlist the help of a workplace injury attorney, you will not have any out of pocket expenses. Instead, workers’ comp lawyers work on the contingency basis and aren’t paid until you win your claim and either get a settlement or a judgment from Lowe’s and their workers’ compensation insurer. The likelihood of being awarded workers’ compensation benefits increase greatly when you have a workers’ comp lawyer representing you. To ensure your Lowe’s workers’ compensation claim is filed in a timely manner, get a free case review today. State laws vary, and time is limited for pursuing a workers’ compensation claim. If you wait too long, you will not have access to the benefits that can make a significant difference in your injury’s financial impact on your family. Get the Help You Deserve after a Workplace Injury State laws are often very specific regarding the steps you must take to file a workers’ compensation claim. These laws may require you to notify Lowe’s of your accident within a certain amount of time and also provide documentation to support your claim. Your case may be automatically denied if you do not follow these rules. Make sure you consult with a workers’ compensation attorney for advice when filing a claim. National companies, like Lowe’s, often have a team of lawyers on their side ready to fight back against employees, even when they have a legitimate claim. When you have an attorney on your side, you can build an effective case that supports your claim and wins you the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve. Consider reading our tips for success before applying for workers' comp. *The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Lowe's, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
