WORK-RELATED INJURY & DRUG AND ALCOHOL/SAFETY

Work-related Injury and Drug and Alcohol/Safety Violations

Your workers' compensation benefits may be reduced in two circumstances:

• If you violated a workplace safety policy in connection with your injury.
• If you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of your injury.

At Spooner & Perkins, P.C., our attorneys have a complete understanding of workers' compensation law and many years of experience offering workers legal representation. If you believe your workers' compensation benefits were reduced unfairly by the insurance company, we offer a free initial consultation to discuss your case.

Workers' Compensation and Safety Violations

If you violate a company safety policy and you are injured as a result, your workers' compensation benefits may be reduced by 25 to 50 percent depending on the severity of the violation.

For example, if your company requires you to wear protective eyewear and you fail to do so, your benefits will be reduced if your failure to wear protective eyewear would have prevented the injury to your eye. Both your temporary total disability and permanent partial disability settlement can be reduced by anywhere from 25 to 50 percent.

Drugs and/or Alcohol Use

If you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the workplace at the time of your injury, your benefit for lost wages and permanent partial disability may be reduced by up to 50 percent. For example:

• If your temporary total disability (lost wages) check was $500 a week, it can be reduced to $250 a week by the insurance company for a violation of the company’s drug or alcohol policy.
• If you would have been entitled to a $20,000 settlement for permanent partial disability, you may receive $10,000 if the insurance company can successfully prove that you violated a company policy against the use of drugs or alcohol.

Contact Our Missouri Workers' Compensation Lawyers

To discuss how drug and alcohol use and workplace safety violations affect your workers' compensation case, or to learn more about drug and alcohol lawsuits relating to work safety in Kansas City, please call our Kansas City law office at 816-572-6324 or toll free at 800-603-4723.

SERVICIOS DE TRADUCCIONES DISPONIBLES.