Injuries at work are always a possibility. If you work as a freight handler, you could be injured while working and find that your injuries require medical treatment, as well as time off work to seek treatment and recover. In most states, worker’s compensation laws protect employees from financial disadvantage if injured while at work. These laws vary from state to state, so you may find you need legal advice from a workers’ comp. attorney to ensure you know exactly what to do to obtain the compensation you are entitled to. FedEx Freight Handler Accident Freight handlers may be required to pick up FedEx parcels and packets from airports or regional FedEx distribution centers and deliver them anywhere in the U.S. If you work as a FedEx freight handler, you may become injured in the course of your job. Typical injuries include a strained back and neck from unexpected heavy lifting, vehicle accidents while driving a FedEx freight truck, or injuries when loading the truck or unloading it. What Should I Do to Make a WC Claim Against FedEx? If injured while at work, the first priority is to get medical treatment, or at least a medical examination to find out how badly injured you are and what treatment you need. You may find that your employer has a preferred medical provider that they expect you to use, or they may leave this up to you. It will be important to find out, as compensation may not be available unless medical treatment is given by an authorized provider. Your immediate supervisor or person you normally report to, such as a FedEx depot manager, must be informed as soon as possible about the accident and injury. You may need to inform your employer through someone else, such as a doctor or hospital, if you are badly injured. Your FedEx depot will have an accident reporting system which will need to be completed by you at some stage. This is important to establish when the injury took place, where it took place, the nature of the injury, and the circumstances involved. This information will be essential evidence when compiling your workers’ compensation claim. Depending on the state you are based in, there will be a time limit within which you are expected to submit the claim with all supporting paperwork. Typically, this is two or three years from the time of the accident. It is in your interests to submit a claim as soon as you are able to do so. How a WC Attorney Can Help A workers’ compensation attorney can help you with your initial claim, especially if you are unsure just what you need to submit and how much compensation you expect to get paid. The more serious your workplace injuries, the more important it is to get legal advice and help with a claim. If your claim is denied for any reason, there will be an established procedure in existence which allows you to dispute the decision through either mediation or a formal appeal. It is not easy to deal with this process without legal help. *The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against FedEx, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation. Additional Resource(s) Filing A FedEx Workers’ Compensation Claim in California*
