Maintenance technicians have an important role to play in a large department store like Walmart. The job comes with a certain amount of risk because of the nature of the varied work involved. Fortunately, any injury that requires medical treatment and time off work should be covered by Walmart’s workers’ compensation insurance. This is a basic payment which covers both the cost of all medical treatment and part, but not all, of the lost earnings that result from an absence from work. Not all claims are immediate and it can be a lengthy procedure reclaiming what is due. It is advisable to use an experienced workers’ comp. attorney if you are considering making a claim after a workplace related accident. Possible Workplace Injuries if You Work as a Walmart Maintenance Technician The range of injuries possible while working as a maintenance technician is somewhat greater than for the typical Walmart employee, for example a sales assistant. Maintenance may mean accessing potentially dangerous parts of the building or using potentially dangerous equipment. The most common injuries are those resulting from a fall from a height and electrical shock from a faulty electrical fitting or tool. These injuries are potentially very serious. A fall from a roof or ladder could result in spinal or brain injury, for instance. Electrical shock may cause burns and serious skin damage. Any of these types of injuries could mean a lengthy absence from work and considerable medical treatment including possible delicate surgery. A Walmart Maintenance Technician Workers Compensation Payment After a Workplace Accident Maintenance technicians at Walmart earn on average around $22 an hour, although they may also be on a permanent salary of $45,000 or more a year. This means that any lengthy absence from work would be a financial burden if it wasn’t for workers’ compensation payments. If a technician fell off a ladder and injured his back, requiring complete rest and surgery for fractured vertebrae, s/he may need more than 6 weeks leave from the job. His medical treatment should be fully covered by Walmart’s insurance cover, as well as two thirds of what he would normally have earned if he was able to work. The two thirds figure is the average state workers’ comp. payment for lost earnings. To use the example of the back injury and 6 weeks absence from work, the component for earnings compensation would be 0.66 x 22 x 40 x 6 (two thirds of 6 weeks of a 40 hour week at a wage of $22 an hour). That would be $3,520, plus the medical treatment payment. Why it Makes Sense to Use a WC Attorney While the system described above may seem quite straightforward, unfortunately employees struggle to obtain the correct payment due to them. The process is quite lengthy and needs to be completed rigidly if a payment is to be made. Often, a payment is delayed because the validity of a claim is questioned by the insurer. It is advisable to use a WC attorney throughout the process, but especially if a claim has been denied. WC attorneys normally defer their legal fees until a payment has been paid. Additional Resources What’s the Process for Filing Workers’ Comp. at Walmart? Do I Need a Lawyer If I Am Preparing a Claim Against Walmart? *Disclaimer The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Walmart or another party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
