After you’re involved in a workplace accident, you may wonder what, if anything, you can do. As a Target employee, you may qualify for special benefits under the company’s workers’ compensation program. Workers’ compensation is insurance specifically used to help employees who are injured while at work. These benefits can help you make up for lost wages, cover medical expenses and even provide compensation if you are permanently or partially disabled after your work accident. Potential Target Workplace Hazards Target is a national upscale discount retailer with more than 1,700 stores in the United States. They offer a number of career opportunities like sales floor associate, cashier, inventory control, and stocker. In a retail environment, like Target, with a variety of departments including groceries, apparel, pet, toys, and home, you might face several different hazards during your shift like: Wet floors in grocery areas from spilled products or leaking refrigerators Slippery surfaces from recently cleaned floors Aisle obstacles from fallen merchandise Uneven parking lots surfaces when retrieving carts In addition to workplace hazards, you may become injured while performing your daily job responsibilities. As a Target employee, stress injuries like sprains and strains can happen from doing repetitive tasks like: Loading and unloading boxes from trucks Stocking items on shelves Bending down to lift merchandise Scanning and bagging items at the register Whether you were injured from a workplace hazard or due to the nature of your work, you may be able to prepare a workers’ compensation claim and receive benefits for your accident and injuries. You may have experienced a different injury while working at Target that isn't listed here. You mmay want to take a look at our pages about specific injuries here: Filing a Target Workers' Compensation Claim in California Workers' Comp for an Injured Back at Target Workers' Comp for a Pinched Nerve at Target Workers' Comp for Slip-and-Fall in Target Workers' Comp for Slip-and-Fall on Ice at Target Herniated Disc at Target Workers’ Compensation for a Hernia Injury Working at Target* Workers’ Compensation Laws Large corporations, like Target, almost always participate in your state’s workers’ compensation system. In fact, your state law may even require that Target offer these benefits to injured workers, like you, to pay for medical care and other expenses like repayment of wages and permanent partial disabilities. Injured workers have a right to receive financial compensation when they are hurt at work. Almost all states will require companies to carry workers’ compensation policies to protect injured employees. Target Workers’ Compensation Case In 2012, Target employee, Erik Lundin, herniated three discs in his back while unloading a box at work. Lundin filed a workers’ compensation claim and was awarded benefits. However, Target did not begin to issue payments for his accident. After going to court, a judge ruled the large retailer was responsible for Lundin’s current and future medical care and needed to pay for his lost wages as a result of his accident. How To File A Workers’ Compensation Claim Against Target If you are an employee of Target, you are covered by workers’ compensation insurance while you are on the job. State laws regarding workers’ compensation claims do vary significantly, but in general, the coverage is rather consistent. Workers’ compensation will cover medical bills and will cover about two-thirds of the worker’s lost wages while they are recovering from the injuries suffered in the workplace accident. You should notify your employer – Target – of your injury as soon as possible. Some states accept verbal notification to a supervisor as adequate, but other states require the notification be made in writing. The timeframe for notifying an employer can range from just a few days to just so long as a year after the accident, but the sooner you notify Target, the better off you will be with your claim. This notification should be made to a supervisor or to the human resources department. Be sure to jot down notes about the accident, such as how it happened, why it happened, when it happened, and how you were injured while the accident is still fresh in your memory. You need to establish medical care right away. Failure to establish treatment can be damaging to your claim. You will need to choose a provider that is in network with your employer for workers’ compensation claims. If you don’t see the list of approved healthcare providers posted in your place of employment, ask your supervisor to provide you with a copy of that list. Failure to use a medical provider that is in the network could result in you having to pay your own medical costs. By establishing medical care right away, you are getting your claim on solid ground because it is easier to connect your injuries to the workplace accident. Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim as a Target Stock Employee Hurt On the Job If you work in stock at Target, you face many risks on your job every single day. As an example, you were working in the stock room when a pallet jack crushed your foot. This resulted in a fractured foot and a broken toe. You were immediately transported to the local emergency room for emergency treatment. Your employer was notified the night of the accident, and you continued with follow-up care, which included visits to an orthopedic surgeon and physical therapy. You were unable to work for eight weeks. Here are the supporting documents and evidence that your claim would need in such situations: Medical bills Medical records Medical excuses and physician notes Prescription receipts Receipts for medical devices Proof of missed work and lost wages A copy of the accident report Witness statements Depending on the location of the accident and the store design, your workplace accident may have been captured on video by surveillance cameras. Those videos could be very beneficial evidence for your workers’ comp claim and help you get your claim approved. Target has employees in hundreds of roles, and each role comes with its own inherent risks. It is important to notify a supervisor of the injury right away, and then to establish medical care so you can get on the road to recovery and so the injury can be connected to the workplace accident. Using Evidence For a Target Workers’ Comp Claim There are many legitimate workers’ compensation claims that are denied every year. In those cases, there may not be adequate evidence to show the injuries were caused on the job, so the employer and their insurer may say it was a pre-existing condition or that the injury happened elsewhere. In those situations, your medical records and witness statements can play an integral role in the outcome of your claim and whether you are awarded Target workers’ compensation benefits. Never delay reporting an accident, even if the injuries don’t seem significant. Sometimes the injuries are worse than they initially appear, so it is important to be examined by a medical professional as quickly as possible. If your injuries are serious, seek care from an emergency room. Always maintain documentation and be sure your manager or supervisor is kept up to date on your recovery and your ability to return to work. Failing to provide the proper documents and mean deadlines can result in your claim being denied and you losing access to workers’ comp benefits. A workplace injury can impact your entire family’s finances, so you will need the medical benefits and reimbursement of a portion of your lost wages while you are out of work. Don’t risk having your benefits denied or stopped. Familiarize yourself with the state local workers’ compensation laws and the claims process. Time is of the essence throughout the workers’ compensation claims process after an injury while working at Target. Filing The Claim In a Timely Manner State laws do vary regarding workers’ compensation claims, so make sure you understand the claims process and file your claim before any deadline. You must make sure all the proper documentation is filed in a timely manner and that adhere to the state laws and policies when you make your claim. Because of the complexity of workers’ compensation claims, you should enlist the help of a workers’ compensation attorney in your state. After all, your employer and their insurer will be represented by a knowledgeable legal team. You should have someone looking out for you and your rights. Workers’ compensation lawyers work on a contingency basis, which means your attorney will not be compensated until you win your claim and get a settlement. You don’t have to worry about paying anything out of pocket. If you are a Target employee who was involved in a workplace accident that left you with injuries that required medical care and time off work, get your Free Case Evaluation with a workplace injury lawyer today. Make sure you get the help you need to access the benefits that you are entitled to receive after being hurt on the job. Protect Your Interests with a Workers’ Compensation Attorney There are a number of steps you must take after being hurt in a workplace accident at Target. This may include seeking prompt medical care, notifying your supervisor of your accident, and providing documentation for your injuries. When you go to prepare a workers’ compensation claim against Target, you must follow the state’s exact procedure within a certain timeframe to be eligible. If you fail to do so, your legitimate workers’ compensation claim may be denied. To ensure your interests are protected after a workplace accident, consult with a workers’ compensation attorney. With a workers’ compensation attorney on your side, you can more easily meet the eligibility requirements needed to file a claim and ultimately recover the benefits you are entitled to receive under the law. *The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Target, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
