Under Alabama law if you work for an employer that has five or more employees and are injured on the job, you are entitled to workers' compensation benefits. Your employer is responsible for paying for medical treatment due to your accident or occupational disease and for paying 2/3rds of your average weekly wage while you are out of work. You are also entitled to compensation for your job injury in the form of future medical treatment and vocational retraining.

In addition to a worker's compensation claim, you may also have negligence claim or defective product claim against parties other than your employer or co-employees and you may also have a claim against co-employees for "willful conduct."

In worker's compensation cases, special rules apply based upon whether your injury is to a "scheduled member" or to the "body as a whole". Also, your age, education and work experience may be a factor in your vocational disability due to a loss of access to jobs. Whether you are able to return to your same employment may also have a dramatic effect on the amount of recovery you are due under the law.

The law only allows a limited time to pursue a workers' compensation case by filing a claim. It is important to consult with an experienced workers' compensation attorney before accepting an offer of settlement for your workplace injury.

Burns, Burns & Garner represents individuals who have been injured on the job and are entitled to workers' compensation benefits. No attorney's fee is charged unless we win your case. Contact Burns, Burns & Garner today to discuss your case.