State Laws, Federal Laws Cover Injured Louisiana Workers — Learn about the Legal Framework of Workers’ Compensation in Louisiana and the U.S. Here

There is no doubt that the United States is peppered with a patchwork of laws, both federal and state. While the federal government establishes laws that are enforced from “sea to shining sea”, state legislatures also pass their own laws which also impact the people that live within the state. This state and federal pretzel of laws can sometimes be confusing to people, including injured Louisiana workers who are seeking workers’ compensation benefits due to the on-the-job injury. But what laws cover injured Louisiana workers who were injured on the job and who are unable to work, and how does an injured Louisiana worker obtain workers’ compensation benefits in the state? To help injured Louisiana workers better understand the laws that govern workers’ compensation, we answer those questions here.

Louisiana Workers Compensation Laws

Most Louisiana workers who are injured on the job and who are unable to work are entitled to Louisiana workers’ compensation benefits under Louisiana state workers’ compensation laws. Importantly, it is the state of Louisiana, and not the federal government, that implements the workers’ compensation system in Louisiana. In Louisiana, the Louisiana Workforce Commission oversees workers’ compensation benefits claims filed by injured workers.

Federal Laws that Help Certain Injured Workers

In addition to Louisiana state workers’ compensation laws that cover most employees in the state (with some exceptions), several federal laws cover certain specific workers when it comes to an on-the-job injury. The Black Lung Benefits Act of 1972, and the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 cover certain coal miners who were injured and disabled due to black lung disease. In addition, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act of 1990 provides certain benefits to workers who developed cancer or other serious health conditions as a result of radiation exposure due to nuclear weapons testing. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, which became effective in 1927 covers those workers who work in longshore work and harbor workers. Another federal law that covers certain specific injured workers is the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program, which provides certain benefits to workers who developed a serious health condition due to exposure to radiation, beryllium, or silica from nuclear weapons testing. Of course, if you were injured on the job in Louisiana and you are curious about which law applies to you, it is best to speak with an experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible about your specific case.

Justice for Injured Workers in Louisiana

If you were injured at work in Louisiana and you are seeking workers’ compensation benefits, contact the experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC. The experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your case and to see if they can help get you benefits due. Contact the experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC and speak to a lawyer about your case today.

Source:

ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/2017/workerscomp.html#:~:text=The%20federal%20government%20was%20the,workers’%20compensation%20laws%20in%201911.