If you are an employee working in Washington, you have rights in the workplace. Getting injured in the workplace is certainly a possible scenario, especially when you have a high-risk job as a construction site worker or oilfield worker. If you get injured while performing work for your employee, you deserve compensation.
The workers’ comp insurance your employer has bought should pay for your damages. However, just like any other legal case, this one has a statute of limitations as well. To ensure you file your case within the stipulated time, hire an Everett Workers’ Compensation Attorney as soon as possible.
What is the statute of limitations for work injury in Washington?
A statute of limitations is a period beyond which a crime is no longer punishable, and your legal rights are unenforceable. It is, in simple terms, a legal buzzer. Your shot does not count if it is not in the air when the buzzer sounds. The same is true for statutes of limitations, as your appeal, protest, or filing will be invalid if it is not received before the given deadline.
In Washington, the statute of limitations is one year for a work injury. Your doctor needs to file a workers’ compensation claim within one year from the date of your injury. For example, if you fell from the stairs and sustained injury on May 22, 2023, you need to file your claim before May 22, 2024.
A statute of limitations prevents defendants from being unfairly targeted for prosecution and legal action. Another important reason for the statute of limitations is that the relevant evidence may be difficult to find or lost after many years.
What are the worker’s compensation laws in Washington state?
The purpose of workers’ compensation is to protect workers who sustain injuries at work. Most businesses in Washington State are required to offer this kind of insurance.
To assure new employees that they will be protected in the event of an injury sustained on the job, the majority of businesses must obtain workers’ compensation insurance. These injuries may be one-time incidents or a result of a series of injuries sustained on the job, such as repeated stress disorders.
What type of protection does workers’ compensation offer?
Workers’ compensation laws offer financial security to workers who sustain injuries at work or as a result of their employment. Employers must be transparent about the kind and extent of protection they are expected to offer, and employees must understand how they are covered.
In addition to covering injuries or other health risks that result from unfavorable or unsafe working conditions, this type of insurance also covers back issues, hearing impairments, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other job-related issues that may take several months or years to show up.
Getting injured at work can be daunting, but you do not have to deal with this alone. Hire a workers’ comp attorney today!