Returning to Work After an Injury

If you’ve been injured in a work-related accident, the road to recovery might not be totally smooth. While workers’ compensation helps cover some of your lost wages and your medical bills, taking the next step to return to work can sometimes be a difficult one regardless of the seriousness of your injury or illness.

An

What Is Vocational Rehabilitation?

If you get injured while working in Kansas or Missouri, you may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation is a program that pays for the costs of treating a work-related injury, as well as providing benefits that cover a portion of a worker's lost wages. Under workers’ compensation, you could receive as much as two-thirds

The Law Office of William L. Phalen protected another Kansas worker from unfair treatment by an employer. After suffering head, back, neck and knee injuries, the employee sought treatment that resulted in some improvement of symptoms, but ongoing difficulties with short-term memory loss, debilitating headaches and balance problems.

Despite all this, the claimant sought a return to work as quickly as

The Law Office of William L. Phalen fought for another workers right to medical care coverage and TTD payments. A claimant represented by William L. Phalen was injured lifting heavy objects on the jobsite and immediately reported. Despite working through lower back pain, his employer took issues with its impact on performance.

The claimant took steps to address his Worker’s

William L. Phalen recently fought for and succeed in securing the rights of yet another injured worker. This worker suffered from a left shoulder injury by repetitive trauma. The respondent in the case argued that the injured worker failed to prove he sustained personal injury by repetitive trauma arising out of and in the course of his employment.

This forced the

Receiving a notice of denial of your claim for workers’ compensation benefits can be devastating. You’ll probably wonder what comes next — how will I replace my lost wages for the time I was off work, and how will I pay those outrageous medical bills? 

When you file a workers’ comp claim, the odds are often stacked against you. Your employer

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health issue that sometimes occurs after individuals experience or witness a distressing or life-threatening event. Symptoms of PTSD include frequently reliving the incident (having bad dreams, nightmares, etc.), the desire to avoid situations that might provide a reminder of the event, negative feelings such as guilt or shame, constant jitters or being

We live in a dangerous world where the risk of injury is always present. In many instances, injuries occur through no fault of our own, but due to the negligent acts of others. We’re all vulnerable to the actions of careless drivers, inattentive physicians, incompetent product manufacturers and thoughtless property owners who fail to take appropriate safety precautions.

Fortunately, personal

A working mother was wrongfully terminated from her position after suffering a workplace injury and abiding by an agreed upon schedule arrangement with her employer. William L. Phalen fought for her rights and won, with the court granting her temporary total disability.

The claimant working for the employer in this case suffered a workplace lifting injury and immediately reported it through

Slipping and falling is a common hazard in many workplaces — and the consequences can be severe. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, slipping, tripping and falling cause 15 percent of all accidental work-related deaths — only vehicle accidents result in more fatalities. What’s more, approximately 25 percent of all workplace injury claims result from falls, as do

Construction sites routinely rank among the most dangerous job sites. According to OSHA statistics, 21.4 percent of all worker fatalities in the U.S. in 2015 occurred in the construction industry. In too many cases, the failure of workers to wear appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) plays a significant role in construction accidents that cause severe injury or death. 

Depending on the

Suppose you are injured on the job and incur lost wages and medical bills. You know that your employer carries workers’ compensation insurance, so you believe that you’re entitled to benefits that will help you weather the financial storm. You report the incident to your employer and file all the necessary paperwork. A short time later, you receive a notice

The Law Office of William L. Phalen protected another workers right to fair treatment under the Workers Compensation Act. A claimant represented by William L. Phalen was affirmed their original Post Award Order after the respondent attempted to fight it. 

The claimant was granted an award in 2017 after a 2011 workplace injury occurred. The respondent in this case attempted to

Some individuals drive a vehicle in the course of their employment. Think of a salesperson who is on the road making sales calls, a delivery driver who is transporting company goods or products or a business executive who is driving to an off-site meeting. What happens if the worker is involved in an accident and sustains an injury? Who pays

If you’re like many workers, you probably know that workers’ compensation insurance provides wage replacement and medical benefits if you’re injured while on the job. However, you might not be aware of the full scope of the benefits you may be entitled to under the law. While specific benefits vary from state to state, workers’ comp will generally cover the

When you file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits, you can’t expect your employer to serve your best interests — in fact, your employer, insurance company representative and company-approved doctors will all seek ways to reduce your benefits or even deny your claim. 

In too many cases, employees who receive a notice of a denial of benefits do not understand their

Workers’ compensation laws are in place to ensure that employees who incur a job-related injury or illness receive wage replacement and medical benefits where applicable. However, employers will pursue every available avenue to avoid providing these benefits to their workers. Here are five examples that illustrate when your employer could deny your workers’ compensation claim.

Late Reporting and Filing

A denial of

A Kansas worker will receive medical care for work-related injuries from a specifically requested authorized treating physician (ATP) as appointed by the court following a Preliminary Hearing Order. The Claimant, a Kansas laborer who suffered a knee injury while working in a delivery based business, suffered this on-the-job injury in early 2013.

The Claimant immediately reported the incident and requested to

If you are injured on the job, workers’ compensation is an essential tool for keeping you financially stable. Whether you are suffering from a temporary partial disability or permanent total disability, getting the compensation benefits that you deserve will ensure that you can stay in your home, pay your bills and continue to live your life.

However, getting the compensation you

A Kansas worker will be receiving weekly temporary total disability checks following a Preliminary Hearing Order. The Kansas worker hurt her back while attempting to move a cabinet at work. The Kansas worker was given physical work restrictions by the authorized treating physician and her employer agreed to allow her to work within those restrictions. However, shortly