Getting injured at work can throw your whole life off balance. Between the medical bills, missed paychecks, and all the paperwork, it’s easy to feel stressed. But there is an agency to help you through the process: the Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC).

So, what is the Workers’ Compensation Commission? They can help guide you through the process, make sure you get the workers’ comp benefits you’re entitled to, and help take some of the stress off your shoulders. While they don’t replace legal advice, they can help get you started with your claim.

Getting hurt at work is stressful enough, and figuring out paperwork should not make it worse.

When you file a workers’ compensation claim in Maryland, you might wonder: Who will find out about this? The answer can take a lot of the guesswork and anxiety out of the process. From your employer to their insurance company, and the state agency that oversees claims, there’s a chain of people who need to be in the loop.

Knowing who gets notified when a workers’ compensation claim is filed and why that can help you feel more confident that your claim is moving along the right way.

Your Employer

Your employer is the first to hear about your claim. When you file, your employer is expected to submit an Employer’s First Report to the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC). This is the first official notification that someone was injured on the job.

Your employer needs to respond properly. That means reporting the injury to their insurance and making adjustments for you, like light duty or time off. In Maryland, you need to let your employer know about your injury within 30 days. The employer must file if your injury keeps you from working more than three days.

A bankruptcy is an opportunity for a family or business to undergo a financial “reboot.” It can bring relief for the kind of crushing financial burdens that create stress and anxiety.

Depending on the type of bankruptcy claim you are filing, you could either have some of your existing debt forgiven or be put on a manageable repayment plan. In either scenario, you have the opportunity for a fresh start to rebuild your finances.

It is essential to recognize that merely accumulating a certain amount of debt does not guarantee bankruptcy approval. It has to be approved by a bankruptcy court after a detailed filing process.

That’s why you’ll benefit from speaking with an experienced Baltimore bankruptcy attorney, such as those you’ll find at Belsky & Horowitz, LLC. We have helped many clients navigate the complexities of filing for bankruptcy approval.

When a major piece of art goes up for auction, it is typically sold for significantly more value than when it was originally purchased. That is a clear example of how an item goes up in value the longer it is owned. That is not the case with most cars. The value of your vehicle began depreciating the moment you drove it off the dealer’s lot.

Overall, your car’s value is determined by some of the following factors:

• Mileage
• Condition
• Color
• Options and add-ons
• Where you reside
• Accident history

How much your car is worth at the time of an accident will determine the level of compensation you can receive from a claim. What does it mean if your car was totaled? That will be the final determination about the post-accident value of your car.

Having insurance protects you from being financially drained in the event of an unforeseen harmful incident. That holds true when you have policies for your health, your home, and your car. Automobile insurance goes one step further by providing protection to victims of accidents that were not their fault. In Maryland, those protections became mandatory in 1972 when the state began requiring all car owners to carry auto insurance.

Of course, just because there is a mandate does not mean every driver has insurance. What happens if you get into an accident with a driver who doesn’t have a policy? That is where your uninsured motorist policy gets activated. That is also a mandatory policy in Maryland, but some options and waivers can be applied to your policy that will either diminish or enhance your protection.

Tire defects may not be something you think much about when traveling on the road. However, they can play a significant role in car accidents.

These tire defects can cause the car to lose control and veer into other vehicles or stationary objects.

In many cases, the responsible party is not the driver of the vehicle, but whoever designed, manufactured, or installed the product.

How common are tire defects? We will look at this issue and what you can do if you have suffered damages in an incident.

Vehicle airbags are designed to save lives. In many car accidents, they do exactly that.

Unfortunately, when it is engaged, an airbag can cause injuries rather than prevent them. Whether from a defect, improper deployment, or the sheer force of impact, these injuries can lead to serious medical problems and financial burdens.

If you were injured by an airbag, you may wonder if you can get compensation, and the answer is yes… in certain situations.

It should come as no surprise that medical expenses are the leading cause of personal bankruptcies.

According to some estimates, up to 58% of the individuals who have filed for bankruptcy did so because of exorbitant medical bills. The stress over unpaid medical bills can directly impact a person’s ability to recover from their injuries. What happens if there is a bankruptcy ruling along with approval for a workers’ compensation claim? Will one cancel out the other?  

Since the early 1900s, every state has instituted some form of protection for its workers in the form of a workers’ compensation insurance program. This type of insurance is paid by the employer to provide compensation for medical expenses and lost wages for any employee injured on the job.

The keyword here is “employee.” Does workers’ compensation cover independent contractors?

The short answer is “no,” as stipulated by the Maryland Workers’ Compensation, an independent contractor is not entitled to receive benefits from workers’ compensation insurance. However, these potential claims can become complicated when the employer intentionally misidentifies their worker.

They could claim an employer is an independent contractor when, in reality, they would be considered an actual employee. These are the instances where the counsel from the attorneys at Belsky & Horowitz, LLC, can be a big help.

When you think of workers’ compensation, you often picture physical injuries. Sometimes, workers can suffer injuries on the job that aren’t as easy to see.

What if the harm you suffer on the job is mental or emotional? Does workers’ compensation cover mental illness?

If you’re struggling with a work-related mental health issue, here’s what you need to know about your rights and options for workers’ compensation.