Wood has always been a valued commodity used for many things—from fuel for heat to construction to paper. Lumberjacks specialize in cutting down trees in order to harvest wood. Lumberjacks are an often-overlooked cog in society. Imagine if there were no one to cut down trees and gather their lumber. Society would suffer. Lumberjacks are needed to supply such a precious resource. However, as with any job, being a lumberjack has its own occupational hazards. If you’re a lumberjack and you fall victim to these hazards, what would happen to your family? Would your family be able to pay the rent and put food on the table? Do you have any money put away? For many people, an on the job injury or sickness can be a financial nightmare. There is help if you are hurt on the job. Most employers are required by state law to provide workers’ compensation insurance. This insurance does not come out of the pockets of the hard-working lumberjack. The insurance is provided by employers at no cost to you. What Is Workers’ Compensation? Workers’ compensation helps lumberjacks who are hurt on the job or develop a sickness due to their working environment. When you file a claim, you get help with your medical bills, prescriptions, job training, and other services or things that you need to recover. In addition, it also provides for a portion of your wages. Workers’ compensation is a safety net put in place to protect workers just like you. Unique Dangers to Lumberjacks Lumberjacks face an array of unique occupational hazards. If you’re sawing away at a tree, there is only so much that can stop one of your own limbs from being pulverized by those of a tree’s limbs if it were to hit you. What about the serrated teeth of your saw? If they can chew through wood with little incident, they would make short work of an arm. Pretend that you’re sorting through wood and get a nasty splinter. Trivial though this may seem, nasty splinters can and will form equally nasty infections if left untreated. Wood and other materials harvested from trees often carry wood-borne parasites such as ticks. The risks faced by lumberjacks are all too real. Injured or Sick? Follow These Steps Regardless of the circumstances of your injury, you are entitled to receive aid through workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation is a right. You should follow these steps to get the help you need: Immediately inform your supervisor of the incident responsible for your injury. You should not wait until your shift is over or you’re done loading lumber into a truck. You must inform your employer. If you’re supervisor is not present, you must still report the incident right away. This protects your legal rights and is an integral component to filing your workers’ compensation claim. Complete an accident report; the sooner, the better. If you draft a report closer to the time of your injury, the details will be clearer in your memory. If your injury is severe, such as a deep gash thanks to a saw mishap, call 911. You should also procure a report number from the responding officer. You can get a copy from the police station. See a doctor. Don’t delay. If you have injured your back, fallen from a tree, or are bleeding, call 911. If the injury is minor, such as a cut from a sterile blade that doesn’t require stitches, you should visit the doctor listed on the workers’ comp policy. Using that doctor means that there will be no out-of-pocket cost to you. You can see your own doctor, but you may need to pay out of pocket. Keep any and all receipts related to any money you spent as a result of your injury or sickness. Make an appointment with a workers’ comp attorney. Even if the company that hired you seems supportive at first, their workers’ comp insurance company will try to settle your claim for as little as possible. Don’t talk to the adjustor by yourself because you could sign away valuable legal rights. A workers’ comp attorney can assist you in getting the compensation that you rightfully deserve. Rhodes V. Capital City Ins. Co. According to Google Scholar, In the case of Rhodes v. Capital City Ins. Co. , Denny Lee Rhodes was awarded workers’ compensation to be paid by the insurance company and the Second Injury Fund because of a heart attack he suffered on the job in June of 1998. The heart attack was in addition to previous injuries received while Rhodes was working (including a crushing blow to his right hand on behalf of a tree). He received workers’ comp benefits from April 23, 2002 until his 65th birthday on January 21, 2018. Sometimes, it’s just that simple, but it takes an experienced attorney to help. Protect Yourself If you are sick or injured as a lumberjack, you need the legal expertise of a qualified workers’ comp attorney to protect yourself and your family. Speak with a workers’ compensation attorney to get the compensation you deserve.
