Articles Posted in Slip and Fall Accidents

Many people at work must frequently walk on wet or slippery surfaces. If you fell while working you may have a workers’ compensation case to pursue. If this happened to you, be sure to read our free book The Truth About Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Accidents. 

For many workers such as those who work in construction, they are constantly exposed to the risk of slips and falls. If you had a work injury in Massachusetts and miss 5 days from work, your employer must complete a form 101. This form must be filed within 7 days of your 5th missed day from work. The form is then sent to your employer’s workers compensation insurance company. The insurance company has 14 days following its receipt of the form 101 to start paying you, or to deny your claim.

If the insurance company agrees to start paying you, they will file a form 103. If they deny your case, they will file a form 104. If the insurance company denies your case, then a claim for benefits needs to be filed. That is done with the filing of a form 110. 

Muchas personas en el trabajo deben caminar frecuentemente sobre superficies húmedas o resbaladizas. Si se cayó mientras trabajaba, es posible que tenga un caso de indemnización por accidentes de trabajo. Si esto le sucedió, asegúrese de leer nuestro libro gratuito La verdad sobre los accidentes de trabajo en Massachusetts. 

Muchos trabajadores, como los que trabajan en la construcción, están constantemente expuestos al riesgo de resbalones y caídas. Si tuvo una lesión laboral en Massachusetts y faltó 5 días al trabajo, su empleador debe completar un formulario 101. Este formulario debe presentarse dentro de los 7 días de su quinto día de ausencia del trabajo. A continuación, el formulario se envía a la compañía de seguros de compensación de los trabajadores de su empleador. La compañía de seguros dispone de 14 días a partir de la recepción del formulario 101 para empezar a pagarle o para rechazar su reclamación.

Si la compañía de seguros está de acuerdo en empezar a pagarle, presentará el formulario 103. Si rechaza su caso, presentará un formulario 104. Si la compañía de seguros rechaza su caso, es necesario presentar una reclamación de prestaciones. Eso se hace con la presentación de un formulario 110. 

Economic damages are damages that are quantifiable and it is easy to determine monetary value. Some common economic damages are; medical expenses, lost wages, punitive damages, and disability benefits. With medical expenses, the injured victim would be compensated for medical treatments (present and future) that are necessary for recovery from the incident related injuries. The victim would additionally be compensated for lost income due to hospitalization or disability resulting from the incident. With disability benefits, victims are eligible if they require long term physical care or have had sufficient medical care and still are permanently disabled due to their injuries. Finally, punitive damages are awarded when there is proof that the property owner intentionally wanted to cause harm. 

Pain and Suffering falls under the category on ‘non economic damages’, however there are a couple of standard ways in which a value can be determined; The Multiplier Method and The “Per Diem” Method. The Multiplier Method is an equation frequently used (specifically by insurance companies) to calculate Pain and Suffering damages. Through this equation, you add up all of the damages and multiply that number between one point five to five. However, in some claims, if the factors are overwhelming for the injured plaintiff, the multiplier may be increased to six, seven, or even ten. Factors that can justify a high multiplier include an elongated recovery (six months or more), physician indicates that your injuries will be recurring or degenerative, or you suffer some permanent consequence (i.e immobility). Nonetheless, this is not the only approach to quantifying your value claim. The “Per Diem” Method (“per diem” being Latin for per day) is the other common approach used in determining the value of a Pain and Suffering claim. The idea is to demand a specific value amount based on every day you had to live with the pain caused by your accident. This however can be tricky when justifying the daily rate utilized. The daily rate is mostly determined based on the daily wage earned.

If you’ve been in a slip and fall situation, please call our office at 617-338-7400. We’ll send you a FREE copy of our book, The Truth about Massachusetts Slip and Falls so you have all the information necessary to win your case!