Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Columbia, Missouri

When you’ve suffered an injury at work, you may have the right to obtain financial benefits for your medical care and lost wages. Don’t let your employer deny you the resources you need to recover and return to work and regular life. Contact Holland Injury Law, LLC, today for a free initial case evaluation to discuss your legal options with an experienced Columbia, Missouri, workers’ compensation attorney.

Why Choose a Columbia, Missouri, Workers' Compensation Lawyer from Holland Injury Law, LLC?

If your employer raises obstacles to obtaining workers’ compensation benefits for your injury, experienced legal counsel can help you demand the financial resources you need for your recovery. Choosing the right attorney is one of the most important decisions you will make in your workers’ compensation claim. For over three decades, injured workers in the Columbia, Missouri, area have turned to Holland Injury Law, LLC, to help them obtain workers’ comp benefits because:

Our legal team’s extensive experience and knowledge enable us to handle any challenges that may arise in workers’ compensation claims.
Our willingness to fight as hard as needed, even when that means pursuing formal hearings and appeals, has allowed us to build a proven record of success that includes over $175 million recovered for clients.
We treat every client who walks through our doors like family, offering the compassion and dedication you need to get through this challenging time.

Our attorneys take the time to prepare you for what to expect in a workers’ compensation claim. We can also help you get the medical/specialist care you need and deal with medical lien collectors.

Benefits Available in the Missouri Workers’ Compensation System

Depending on the nature of your injuries, you may have the right to various defined benefits under the Missouri workers’ compensation system. Available workers’ comp benefits may include:

Medical benefits:Workers’ compensation can cover the cost of all reasonable and necessary medical treatment and rehabilitation services needed for your work injury to reach maximum medical improvement.
Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits: If you cannot work while you’re healing from a work-related injury, you can receive reimbursement for two-thirds of your pre-injury average weekly wage, subject to a maximum cap set by state law.
Temporary partial disability benefits: If you can work in a lower-paying part-time or light-duty position during your recovery, temporary partial disability benefits reimburse you for two-thirds of the difference between your pre-injury average weekly wage and your current earnings.
Permanent partial disability benefits: You can receive permanent partial disability benefits after your doctor diagnoses you with a permanent disability that does not prevent you from returning to work. Permanent partial disability benefits provide weekly payments equal to two-thirds of your pre-injury average weekly wage, with the number of weeks you receive in payment dependent on the nature and severity of the disability.
Permanent total disability benefits: After a work injury completely disables you from gainful employment, permanent total disability benefits provide weekly payments for life or until you recover enough to return to the workforce.
Second Injury Fund benefits: When a work injury combines with a prior injury/disability to render you fully disabled from working, your employer may only bear the responsibility to pay you permanent partial disability benefits. However, you can seek additional permanent total disability benefits from Missouri’s Second Injury Fund.

Workers who suffer permanent total disability due to occupational diseases caused by toxic exposure on the job can also receive enhanced weekly payments.

When Do You Have to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim?

Under the Missouri workers’ compensation system, you must report a work injury to your employer or supervisor immediately after getting hurt on the job. However, waiting more than 30 days to notify your employer about a work-related injury may jeopardize your eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits. You should send your employer a written notice stating your name and address, the date, time, and place of your injury, and the type/severity of injury you suffered. Your employer may have official forms you can use to report your injury. Write down the date and time you sent or delivered your notice.

Suppose your employer declines to provide you with workers’ compensation benefits after you notify your employer about your injury. In that case, you have two years to file a formal Claim for Compensation with the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation. However, you may have up to three years to file a formal claim if your employer fails to report your injury to the Division in a timely manner.

What Steps Should You Take After Suffering a Work Injury?

After getting hurt at work, things you should do to protect your eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits include:

Report your work injury to your employer within 30 days of a work accident.
Seek immediate medical attention for your injuries and follow your doctor’s treatment plan and medical restrictions.
Request copies of medical records of your treatments and rehabilitation.
Keep copies of any bills, invoices, or receipts of out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Find copies of your pay stubs or income statements to calculate your pre-injury average weekly wage.

Finally, contact a Columbia, Missouri, workers’ compensation lawyer from Holland Injury Law, LLC, when your employer fails to pay you the benefits you need and deserve.

What Options Do You Have If Your Workers’ Comp Claim Gets Denied?

When your employer denies your workers’ compensation claim or terminates your benefits before you’ve recovered from your work injuries, you have several options to pursue the benefits you need. The Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation offers dispute management services to employers and workers with disputes over the proper scope of workers’ compensation benefits. The Division’s dispute management services include mediation to help facilitate a resolution. An injured worker can also request a conference with an administrative law judge to meet with their employer and discuss a settlement.

Employees can also file a Claim for Compensation to request a formal workers’ compensation hearing before an administrative law judge. Parties can request a pre-hearing or mediation or may proceed to a formal hearing where the administrative law judge will issue a binding award approving or denying workers’ compensation benefits.

An employee or employer who disagrees with the administrative law judge’s decision may have the right to appeal to the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission. The Commission will review the transcript of the administrative hearing and the parties’ briefs and either dismiss the appeal, accept and adopt the administrative law judge’s decision, or overrule the decision and issue a new award. Parties still aggrieved by the Commission’s decision can appeal to the Missouri Court of Appeals.

How Can a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Near Columbia, Missouri, Help with Your Claim?

Undergoing medical treatment and rehabilitation for a work injury while fighting with your employer for workers’ compensation benefits can quickly become overwhelming. Let Holland Injury Law, LLC, take the stress of your workers’ comp claim off your shoulders by handling all the details of your case. Our firm will investigate your claim, obtain evidence to prove your right to benefits, document your injuries and losses, and pursue your legal options for demanding compensation. Our attorneys can also guide you through complex decisions in your case, including filing claims with the Second Injury Fund or negotiating a lump-sum settlement of your workers’ compensation claim.

Contact Holland Injury Law, LLC, to Discuss Your Legal Options with a Knowledgeable Columbia, Missouri, Workers’ Compensation Attorney

After sustaining a work-related injury, the law entitles you to financial benefits and support as you recover. Contact Holland Injury Law, LLC, today for a free, no-obligation consultation to get help from a workers’ compensation attorney near Columbia, Missouri, when your employer denies or tries to unjustly terminate your benefits.

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