Workers’ Compensation In St. Louis

Missouri has set out a system of laws designed to ensure that employees are treated fairly when injured while performing job-related activities. I represent people to ensure they are receiving the best treatment to ensure maximum physical recovery and help my clients obtain any monetary compensation they are entitled to receive.

If You Qualify For Workers’ Compensation You Are Entitled To:

• Medical Care and Treatment at no cost to you (not even co-payments)
• Temporary Total Disability Pay (TTD)
• Permanent Disability Compensation (PPD)

Medical Care And Treatment

If you are injured at work it is extremely important you let your employer know right away. Your employer will then need to open an injury claim with their Workers’ Compensation Policy. You will then be given the option to seek treatment through the doctors your employer’s plan has available in your area. This treatment must be offered to you at no cost to you; you will not even be responsible for making any co-payments that may be required on your own personal health insurance policy.

There are some potential conflicts of interest that may arise while treating with a physician that is provided for you by your employer’s plan. First, the doctors may be more inclined to suggest that your injury was caused by something that was not work-related or that your injury was caused by a pre-existing condition or a prior injury. Second, it is possible that the physician will claim that you are at “maximum recovery” when your condition could be improved with further treatment.

One of the things I help with during the treatment phase is examining the records to determine if it would be beneficial to have an independent medical examination or an IME. Much like with any other illness or injury, a second opinion can be very beneficial.

Temporary Total Disability

When you are injured on the job, oftentimes there will be a period where you will be unable to work, or you may only be able to do a “light duty” job for a temporary period. Missouri Workers’ Compensation laws provide that your employer must compensate you and/or offer you a light-duty position while you are recovering from a work-related injury. Without an attorney working on your case, your employer might not be willing to offer you the compensation you deserve during this time. I help my clients to recover the maximum amount of TTD in every St. Louis Workers’ Compensation case I handle.

Permanent Partial Disability

In many cases, an injury from an accident from work will leave a person permanently disfigured or injured in a way from which a full recovery is not possible. When this situation arises, you are entitled to a lump-sum monetary payment from your employer to compensate you for the loss. Sometimes there will be a dispute as to how permanently and partially disabled a person is, which will affect the amount you can recover for your injuries.

Author Bio

Matt Jett is the CEO and Managing Partner of Jett Legal, a Missouri personal injury law firm. With more than 10 years of
experience in personal injury, he has zealously represented clients in various legal matters, including car and truck
accidents, workers’ compensation, wrongful death, and other cases.

Matt received his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and is a member of the Missouri
Bar Association. He has received numerous accolades for his work, including the Rising Stars distinction by Super Lawyers 2019-2022.