No worker leaves his or her home in the morning thinking that today will be the day in which he or she suffers a debilitating workplace accident. In fact, the definition of a workplace accident under Maryland law is a sudden unusual or extraordinary event that causes an unexpected result.
The Maryland Workers' Compensation Act covers all Maryland workers whenever there is an employer-employee relationship between a worker and his or her company and an accident arises out of that employment relationship.
If you have been injured by workplace accident in Maryland, you should know that you may be entitled to certain benefits under the MWCA. These include a payment of your average weekly wages, payments for medical or rehabilitative costs and in some cases, you may receive payments to learn a new location if you are not able to return to work in your previous capacity.
Additionally, the surviving family members of a Maryland worker killed in a workplace accident are normally eligible to receive death benefits.
Under the current MWCA scheme, most workers receiving compensation are barred from suing their employer for negligence. However, this doesn't necessarily mean you can't sue a third-party who may have contributed to your injuries. For example, imagine an office worker who suffered a fractured skull when she went to sit in a chair that collapsed under her weight. That worker may still have a personal injury case against the company that supplied the office furniture or maybe even a products liability case against the chair's manufacturer.
The bottom line is that if you have been injured while at work, you should explore all of your legal options. Our law firm has over 60 years combined experience representing clients throughout the Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D. C., metropolitan area.
As an established firm with a reputation for integrity and professionalism, you can rely on our attorneys to advocate forcefully on your behalf to obtain the largest available compensation for your injuries.