From slips and falls to machinery accidents and even illnesses, workplace compensation cases are becoming more and more common. While it may be surprising to learn, thousands of people are killed on the job. These individuals are not able to receive compensation for their accidents and injuries. However, if you were recently injured on the job, you can begin the process of filing a workers' compensation claim. This guide will help you understand a few factors that affect the amount of your workers' comp settlement.

Future Medical Care

The extent of your injury or illness will affect how much money you are awarded after filing a workers' comp claim. If your injury or illness will require ongoing medical care, the cost of this care should be included in your claim award/settlement.

For example, if you have developed a respiratory illness while working in a factory or manufacturing facility, you may require continuous breathing treatments, therapy, and medication indefinitely. This ongoing care will be time-consuming, emotionally draining, and costly. Therefore, you should be awarded compensation for this ongoing distress.

Disability

If your injuries have resulted in some sort of disability, you should be awarded compensation for the different changes to your daily life because of this injury or illness.

If the injury or illness is preventing you from working and living a normal life temporarily, compensation should cover your medical expenses, emotional distress, and the time and income lost due to being unable to work.

If your injury or illness has resulted in a surgery that is leaving you unable to work, pay your bills, and provide for your family, you should receive more financial compensation because of these changes.

In some instances, your injury or illness will leave you permanently disabled. This means you are not only able to function normally, but you will also be unable to work and earn income needed to pay your bills and basic living expenses.

Accepting a one-time settlement may seem like a good option in this case. Since your permanent disability is preventing you from working and earning income, seeking ongoing compensation through a more involved workers' compensation case may be better for your family's future.

Professional Legal Assistance

Recent studies have shown injured workers who hired lawyers received higher settlements or awards from workers' compensation claims.

Hiring an attorney who understands and has experience in workers' compensation can fight on your behalf to ensure you receive sufficient compensation for your injury, illness, medical expenses, future care, loss of income, and emotional distress. On average, hiring an attorney at a law firm, such as Gilbert, Blaszcyk & Milburn LLP, to fight on your behalf will help you receive 30 percent more in compensation.