Martinsville Workers Comp Lawyer

Feeling Lost After a Workplace Injury in Martinsville or Henry County? Let’s Talk About Your Rights.

A Top-Rated Workers Comp Lawyer in Martinsville Can Help You Obtain Financial Security After an Occupational Injury.

Your world spins faster after a workplace injury.

One minute you can finish your shift. Next, you have pain and questions about medical bills, lost income, whether your employer will hold your job, and what the future holds.

Our Virginia workers compensation law firm wants to help you and your loved one.

When the unexpected happens at work, a skilled Martinsville workers compensation lawyer can help you get the workers comp benefits you deserve and negotiate a settlement that provides financial security as you plan the next step.

Keep reading to see how we can help you. Then read our answers to frequently asked workers comp questions before calling 804-251-1620 or completing this form to see if we will accept representation in your case.

Understanding Your Corner of Virginia: Workers Compensation Claims in Martinsville and Henry County

The Virginia Workers Compensation reported 365 occupational injuries in Martinsville and 270 in Henry County in the most recent year with data.

This data highlights the role that workers compensation law has in providing financial support and medical care to injured employees in Martinsville and surrounding Henry County.

Workplace injuries are common in Martinsville, where many residents work in manufacturing and other industries. Major employers include the following:

• • Henry County Public Schools and Martinsville City Public Schools employ several hundred employees in the education sector.

• • In healthcare, Sovah Health-Martinsville, is the major hospital in the area.

• • The furniture manufacturing industry still has a presence in Martinsville, with Bassett Furniture, Hooker Furniture, and Shenandoah Furniture employing many residents.

• • Several companies have manufacturing or distribution centers near Martinsville, including Radial, Hanesbrands, SouthPrint, Inc., Eastman, Monogram Food Solutions, Keeco, Applied Felts, Press Glass, Georgia Pacific Corrugated, and Crown Holdings. Workers comp claims at warehouses and manufacturing facilities often lead to disputes over safety rule violations and offers of light-duty employment.

• • Transportation and logistics companies like Warren Trucking Company, Diversified Distribution, and Schenker Logistics have facilities in Martinsville. Our law firm has secured millions of dollars in workers compensation settlements for injured truck drivers.

• • And many more small businesses call Henry County home.

Regardless of your employer or size, a skilled Martinsville workers comp attorney can help you recover the cash and medical benefits you deserve.

What Should You Do After a Workplace Injury?

The workers comp claim process has several crucial steps. And a mistake at any point may cost you thousands of dollars in income replacement benefits and medical care.

Seeking medical treatment is the first step. It doesn’t matter whether you go to a hospital’s emergency room, an urgent care center, or your primary care doctor; medical care is critical to healing and winning your case.

Once there, tell the doctor how the injury happened. If your testimony does not match the initial medical records, you will have trouble persuading a deputy commissioner with the Virginia Workers Compensation Commission that you were hurt at work.

You must also notify your employer quickly about the work accident. Although the law says you have 30 days to give written notice, any delay in reporting the injury may raise a red flag with your employer or its insurer or third-party claim administrator (a company like Sedgwick, Gallagher Bassett, ESIS, or Corvel). You can use this sample letter reporting a work injury as a template.

In addition to these steps, you must file a formal claim for benefits with the Workers Compensation Commission. For most cases, the statute of limitations is two years from the accident date or the date a doctor told you that you have an occupational disease. Missing the deadline for filing a claim often leads to dismissing a claim for benefits and you receiving nothing.

Your employer and its claim administrator have 30 days to respond to your claim. They can accept it (fully or partly), deny it, or tell the Commission that the investigation is ongoing. Anything less than complete acceptance will lead to the Commission docketing your claim for a workers comp hearing.

Your hearing will occur at 3160 Kings Mountain Rd, Martinsville, VA 24112. And the Honorable Linda Slough, Robert Himmel, or Deborah Blevins will preside over the trial.

What Does Workers Comp Provide?

Your Martinsville workers comp lawyer will investigate the facts surrounding your work injury and explain which of these benefits you may qualify for:

• • Lifetime medical benefits: Your employer may have to pay for all reasonable and necessary medical attention related to your occupational injury or illness. This benefit lasts for life. And it includes doctor’s visits, hospitalizations, physical therapy, prescription medication, functional capacity evaluations (FCEs), permanent impairment ratings, and surgeries.

• • Wage replacement: If you are out of work or earning less because of medical work restrictions from the injury, you may receive temporary total disability (when you are not working at all) or temporary partial disability (when working a lighter job but earning less).

• • Permanent partial disability (PPD): A workplace injury may cause permanent loss of use of the body part or, if you suffered an amputation injury, complete loss. Workers comp provides a cash payment for this.

• • Death benefits: Workplace fatalities happen. You may receive benefits if a loved one dies on the job.

• • Mileage reimbursement for trips to the doctor

• • Vocational rehabilitation can help you transition to new employment after you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) with permanent work restrictions.

In addition, you may negotiate a lump sum settlement to close your case.

Where to Get Medical Care in Martinsville for Your Work Injury

Accessing medical care is critical to your physical recovery and obtaining the benefits you need to provide for yourself and your family.

Your employer must provide a list of physicians (called a panel) from which to choose. We recommend reviewing this list with a Martinsville work injury lawyer before selecting. Some doctors are more willing to help claimants in litigation than others.

If you do not receive a list from the employer, you should still seek care. Sovah Health-Martinsville, a major provider in the region, may be able to help.

Why Choose Corey Pollard Law for Your Martinsville Workers Compensation Claim?

When facing uncertainty after a workplace injury, a knowledgeable attorney can put you at ease and make a big difference in your claim’s outcome.

Call us to see if we are the right fit for you.

We secure millions of dollars annually in benefits and settlements for injured employees. And we want to do the same for you.