Catastrophic Workplace Injuries and Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Benefits – What You Need to Know if You Suffered a Catastrophic Injury on the Job in the Pelican State
When most people think about an example of a workplace accident in Louisiana, they likely think of something like a slip and fall on a slippery warehouse floor, a cut finger in a meat slicer at a sandwich shop, or a strain or sprain injury of the back due to heavy lifting. Indeed, the truth of the matter is that many workplace injuries are not ones that appear to be life-threatening, and many Louisiana workers eventually can recover from their workplace accident injuries. However, in some instances, a severe and devastating workplace accident can lead to injuries that are described as “catastrophic”, leaving a workplace accident victim with lasting impairments that may change their life forever. But what happens when a Louisiana worker is injured catastrophically? And where can seriously injured Louisiana workers go for legal help after they suffer an on-the-job injury? To help Louisiana workers better understand how catastrophic injuries are treated under Louisiana workers’ compensation laws, we answer those questions here.
Catastrophic Accidents in Louisiana Workplaces
At the outset, it is important for Louisiana workers to understand what a catastrophic workplace accident is. Under Louisiana workers’ compensation laws, catastrophic injuries are extremely severe workplace injuries that result in the loss of a limb or body part, or otherwise permanent impairment of the worker. Examples of catastrophic injuries that may entitle a Louisiana worker to Louisiana workers’ compensation benefits may include injuries that result in paraplegia (the inability of the worker to voluntarily move the lower part of their body), quadriplegia (the inability of the worker to voluntarily move all four limbs), and loss of both hands, arms, feet, or legs. Loss of the eyes may be considered a catastrophic workplace injury by the Louisiana Workforce Commission, as well as the loss of one hand and one foot.
Louisiana Workforce Commission Provides Guidance Regarding Catastrophic Workplace Accidents
According to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the state agency that processes workers’ compensation claims in Louisiana, “An employee is entitled to a one-time payment of $50,000 if the injury is determined to be catastrophic. Only the following injuries shall be considered injuries which are catastrophic: Paraplegia or quadriplegia or the total anatomical loss of both hands, both arms, both feet, both legs, both eyes, or one hand and one foot, or any two thereof. Functional loss or loss of use shall not constitute anatomical loss.” Accordingly, if you suffered a catastrophic workplace injury in Louisiana, it is important to speak with an experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer about your case as soon as possible.
The experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at the law firm Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC are here to help injured Louisiana workers get workers’ compensation benefits due to them for their workplace injuries. Do not hesitate to speak with an experienced lawyer about your case today. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC and speak to a lawyer about your rights and options now.
Source:
laworks.net/FAQs/FAQ_WorkComp_RightsAndResponsibilities.asp#answer_6
