Helping Hard Workers Get Fair Treatment
Idaho workers are not afraid of long days or difficult and often dangerous work. But when you get hurt while doing your job, you deserve some recognition and help in getting back on your feet. When your employer pays for workers’ compensation insurance, it is paying for the tools that employees need to stay healthy and working. This is part of why, when you are in a work accident, you should feel confident that the resources you have from workers’ compensation will make a difference in your recovery.
At the Kevin E. Donohoe Law Office, you get practical and experienced legal advice and a full assessment of your case. My name is Kevin E. Donohoe, and I work with every client to determine the best options for them personally. When you sit down with me, you can be certain that you will have a voice in the legal system. Talk to me about your work, your injuries and your needs.
What Idaho Law Has To Say About Workplace Injuries
Every state has enacted a system of workers’ compensation laws. In Idaho, an injured worker is entitled to claim certain benefits, including:
- Reasonable and necessary medical care
- Temporary total disability payments during the time a physician verifies that the employee is in a period of recovery and cannot work
- Permanent partial impairment payments when the employee can resume some type of work but the injury caused permanent limitations
- Possible long-term disability if the employee can work but can no longer earn as much due to the injury
In some cases, disability may be total and permanent if the employee is no longer able to work in any job. An additional important benefit that injured employees may be entitled to is vocational rehabilitation to help them return to the workforce.
Construction Site And Farm-Related Injures Different Than Regular Workers’ Compensation
An injury on a construction site or farm is different than a workers’ compensation case because there are more people, companies and interests involved. These site often have different safety regulations and far greater dangers. In some cases, the equipment manufacturer may be wholly or partially at fault for the injury. Faulty, malfunctioning or defective power tools and machinery can cause both injury and death. In these cases, a third-party lawsuit that seeks damages from the companies involved may be warranted.
Facts About The Dangers Of Heavy Machinery
Over 1,000 construction workers die on the job each year, and farm workers are far more likely to suffer debilitating injuries from equipment, chemicals and livestock.
The primary causes of injury or death are when a worker:
- Lacks appropriate fall protection
- Is struck by an object
- Is electrocuted
- Gets caught between two objects
Additional construction site hazards include the collapse of trenching, the use of ladders instead of scaffolding, tools that are dropped from overhead, a lack of safety training and employees of other contractors on a worksite failing to follow safety rules.
In 2019, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is the federal agency responsible for worksite safety, employed only one compliance officer for every 59,000 workers. This lack of oversight allows negligent contractors to cut corners when it comes to safety. As an attorney with a sole focus on Idaho injury and wrongful death cases, I have a solid understanding of the process and the law.
Take The Right First Steps
If you are injured on the job, you should immediately notify your employer about the injury. Cooperate in filling out a First Report of Injury or Illness form. A delay could result in a denial of benefits.
Once you have notified your employer and have taken care of your immediate medical needs, you should call my office at 208-725-8810. I am based in Hailey, and I help injured workers across southern Idaho.