How Can I Get Workers’ Compensation in New Mexico?
July 15 2014
Nearly every profession has risks associated with it. Nonetheless, some employers knowingly continue to expose employees to danger in spite of the possibility of injury or even wrongful death. One example of a work related hazard that puts employees at high risk of injury is asbestos exposure. An employee exposed to asbestos has a risk of getting mesothelioma or other types of cancer. Some symptoms of mesothelioma include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pain
- Unexplained weight loss
There are many other types of hazards that employees can face. From traumatic brain injuries (TBI) caused by falling items on construction sites to simple slip and fall accidents in office buildings. The government allows injured employees to receive workers’ compensation when they’re hurt on the job in New Mexico. This is usually a temporary program, designed to ensure that injured workers have a reliable source of income until they can get back to work.
Workers’ compensation (sometimes called “workmen’s compensation,” “workmen’s comp,” or “workers’ comp”) is a form of insurance set up to aid employees who are injured on the job or who suffer ill-health as a result of a job. Workers’ compensation is designed to help make up for lost wages and with paying medical bills resulting from an injury on the job (or, in the case of mesothelioma, an illness contracted as a result of on-the-job risk factors). However, worker’s compensation generally does not cover all of a person’s medical bills, nor does it completely make up for lost wages. In addition, if you access a workers’ compensation plan, you give up your right to sue your employer, even if the employer was negligent. Nonetheless, in some situations workers’ compensation is an attractive option for current or former employees.
Ron Bell workers’ compensation attorneys can assist injured workers with filing a workers comp claim in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We can help you decide whether worker’s compensation is right for you and ensure you receive rightful compensation for lost wages and medical expenses.