All workplaces have a certain degree of risk. Jobs that entail lifting, carrying, and driving definitely involve some risk of injury. Fortunately, nearly every state has laws that ensure that employers, such as FedEx, carry workers’ compensation insurance. This can be used to obtain compensation after a workplace accident and injury. Compensation typically pays for much of any medical treatment and a majority of lost earnings, and it may pay compensation for permanent injuries which prevent the employee from working at their workplace again. FedEx Workplace Accidents FedEx is one of the world’s largest freight companies with over 300,000 employees. If you work for FedEx, you may be a FedEx truck driver, carrying packets and parcels between airports, distribution centers, and customer addresses. You may work in a FedEx office or inside a distribution center handling parcels. Typical FedEx workplace accidents may include vehicle accidents anywhere on a highway, accidents involving lifting and handling packages, conveyor belt accidents, and slip and fall accidents. How Long Do I Have to File a WC Claim? FedEx is nationally and internationally based, but its workers’ compensation arrangements will depend on the state that you are based in. Normally, if you are injured while working for FedEx, there are three things that should be done first. You must have a medical examination and obtain medical treatment; you must inform your FedEx supervisor that an injury has occurred while you were at work and then make sure that you complete a full accident report, giving details of the accident and injuries and when, where, and how it happened. Depending on the state you are based in, there will be time limits in which these actions should be taken, typically within days or weeks of the actual injury. FedEx HR, or your union representative if you have one, will let you know what you need to do immediately. You will then want to submit a workers’ compensation claim. This will be handled by FedEx’s insurance provider. The actual company may depend on the specific job you have in FedEx. Most states allow 2 to 3 years to file a workers’ compensation claim with either the insurance provider itself or a state workers’ compensation agency. There is no advantage in waiting to file a claim for too long. In fact, because it is in your interest to provide as much evidence as possible substantiating your claim, the sooner you deal with it the better. If you are unsure about the state laws on time limits and what paperwork you need to submit with your claim, you can get very useful advice from an experienced and qualified workers’ compensation attorney. How a WC Attorney Can Help A workers’ compensation attorney can provide useful initial advice before you actually submit a workers’ compensation claim and offer legal advice and negotiating skills if your claim is denied for any reason. In the event that a claim is denied, there is an established process involved which may involve mediation and an appeal. This process is lengthy and difficult for individual employees 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.
