Shedding Light on Your Rights to Workers' Compensation
Before workers' compensation laws were enacted, injured workers were often considered expendable. Employers had no legal duty to a person hurt on the job — no medical coverage, no wages, no guarantee the job would still be there.
Workers' compensation insurance was established as a safety net for people injured in the workplace. It is a no-fault system. If you were hurt in the course of doing your job, it does not matter who or what caused the injury (even your own clumsiness or mental error).
There is a trade-off to "workman's comp." In exchange for guaranteed coverage for medical treatment and lost wages, employees gave up the right to sue their employers, supervisors or co-workers for negligence. Unfortunately, the business and insurance lobby in Oregon has exploited this immunity.
Knowledge Is Power
Oregon has one of the worst workers' compensation systems in the U.S. for workers. Your rights and benefits are more limited than in many states. It is needlessly complicated to file for benefits — and even more difficult to win a denied claim.
At the Law Offices of Hansen Malagon, we believe in educating our clients about the process as we fight for their state-mandated rights. We want you to understand how the system works and what to expect in filing or appealing a disability claim. We want you to understand how a lawyer can help secure all entitled benefits and compensation. This includes possible claims against other parties who share blame for your injury.
Experienced and Ready to Help
If you have suffered a job-related injury and cannot return to work, contact us immediately. We are not paid unless and until we get you approved for workers' comp benefits.
Our firm's workers' compensation attorneys have more than 70 years of combined experience handling workers' compensation claims and appeals throughout west Oregon. We offer a free initial consultation, with three office locations — Portland, Gresham/Clackamas, Salem or Eugene/Springfield. We can arrange after-hours or weekend appointments, or we can come to your hospital or home.
