When you get up and go off to work every morning the last thing that’s likely to cross your mind is the possibility you could be injured. This might not have happened yet but statistics indicate that no work place in Nashville is free of accidents. If you are injured you should be eligible to receive workers’ compensation as most employers are expected to take out cover for their workers in Nashville and throughout Tennessee. If you are injured and your employer does not have workers’ comp. insurance but the injury was caused by negligence you may still be able to file a personal injury claim. Choosing a Workers’ Comp. Attorney in Nashville There are at least 112 workers’ compensation lawyers based in Nashville, giving you a lot of choice. If you are turned down for workers comp. you can still use a workers’ comp. lawyer to help you to file a personal injury claim as they still have experience negotiating settlements with insurers. Common Injuries at Work in Nashville All workplaces are vulnerable to injuries but the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the two most accident-prone workplaces in Tennessee are in transportation, education and health services*. These two industries alone experience almost 50 percent of all of Tennessee fatal and non-fatal accidents. Transportation injuries in Nashville could be due to defective vehicles which have not been serviced well and brakes could fail causing collisions with other vehicles. Injuries in the education sector could take place when a violent incident occurs on a school’s premises and staff is targeted. Some health sector workers are more likely to suffer from back injuries due to the nature of their work. The Workers’ Compensation Procedure in Nashville Every employer in construction, coal mining and the trades is required to cover their workers for workers’ compensation as long as they employ more than one worker. All other employers in Nashville and Tennessee are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance if they employ at least five people. If you have been injured while at work the first thing to do is report it to your supervisor. This should be done within 15 calendar days of the accident. The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation takes care of workers’ compensation matters in Tennessee. If the insurance adjuster will not honor your claim, you can challenge this decision. In most situations the deadline for challenging the decision is 1 year from the date of the injury. If there is a dispute about your eligibility for workers’ compensation you can seek assistance to help reach a solution by contacting the bureau. A petition for Benefits Determination needs to be filed if you want the Bureau’s assistance. If you need to file a personal injury claim this is usually heard in either the General Sessions Court or Circuit Court. Use a Free Claim Evaluation to Find a Suitable Nashville Based Attorney There are good reasons why you should get experienced legal assistance from a Nashville based licensed workers’ comp. attorney. Because there are so many to choose from, you can use our free evaluation form found on this page to help you select the best attorney to assist you with your claim, whether it is a workers’ compensation claim or a personal injury claim. There is a statute of limitations of 1 year in Nashville which means you should file your claim with sufficient documentation well before the time limit has been reached, or you may not be able to obtain any compensation at all. Additional Resources Workers' Compensation Attorneys in Tennessee Workers’ Compensation in Tennessee *Source: bls.gov/iif/oshstate.htm#TN
