KFC workers, like others who work in the fast food restaurant industry face a number of workplace related accident possibilities. Burns, cuts, slips, trips and falls are the main accident types in such a workplace. KFC workers don’t earn heaps of money, so it’s just as well KFC has workers’ compensation insurance to cover them if they have an accident or get sick while at work. Workers’ compensation is not automatic. You have to apply for it and that is somewhat of a complicated procedure at times. One advantage of workers’ comp. is that it is not affected by the question of fault. Even if a KFC worker made a mistake and burned their arm on a hot stove, they can still obtain compensation. Workers’ compensation helps to pay for all medical costs and a good percentage, if not all, of any lost wages. Injuries That Can Happen in a Fast Food Restaurant It’s easy to imagine the sots of accidents and injuries that can happen in a busy KFC. In the kitchen, hot oil and food, hot gas rings and stoves can cause burns; greasy floors can become an unwelcome ice rink; food preparation may involve the use of cutting equipment and any slight slip could mean a nasty cut on the exposed body. Cleaning the restaurant and clearing away food trays may mean further slip and fall possibilities. Finally, heaving cartons of food supplies to and fro and emptying trash bins may mean some quite demanding physical exertion and this could lead to back injuries, spinal problems like disc herniation and hernia itself, an abdominal injury. Filing a Workers Compensation Claim Employers, and more particularly, their insurance carriers, don’t just dish out cash when you have had a workplace injury. You need to file a workers’ compensation claim. The actual process of making a claim varies from state to state, so the first thing you need to do after letting your manager know that you have had an injury and will be seeking treatment is to find out who to file your claim with. It may be directly with KFC’s insurer, or with a state workers’ compensation board. In some states, the employer lets the board or agency know about the accident and you then have to fill in the details. As long as you have made sure your manager has officially recorded the nature of the injury and when and how it happened you should concentrate on getting treatment before worrying about making a claim. How the Value of a Workers’ Compensation Claim is Decided You will need to document all your medical treatment to show the insurer why you have claimed what you have claimed. All medical costs related to the injury you have had at KFC should be included. You won’t get back what you have lost in wages completely. In most states, you should get 66% or two thirds of what you could have earned if you had been able to work normally. Apart from the lost wage component and the medical costs, workers’ comp, only pays for permanent injuries, although in some states, there may be help towards retraining if you can no longer do the job you were doing before. Why You Might Use a Workers’ Compensation Attorney It can pay to use a workers’ compensation attorney if you have serious injuries and are worried about getting sufficient compensation from KFC. Not all claims are honored. If your claim is denied, then you may be able to appeal the decision with the help of an attorney. *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 KFC, or another party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
