June is National Safety Month, and the National Safety Council initiated a four-week campaign focusing on:
- Prevention of slips, trips and falls;
- Employee wellness;
- Emergency preparedness;
- Ergonomics.
Additional information was provided on driving safety and summer safety.
Our Boston Social Security disability attorneys know that not all workplace accidents will result in serious or lifelong disabilities that will qualify you for federal benefits. However, some undoubtedly will.
You benefit by choosing representation from a law firm that also has experience with workers compensation claims. We can help you determine whether your condition qualifies for one or the other, and to which you might have the most success applying. While you can technically collect both, your workers’ compensation benefits could end up affecting what you are paid by the Social Security Administration, so it helps to have an adviser who is highly knowledgeable on the subject.
Because we also are experienced with personal injury claims, it may be that you file for SSDI alongside civil litigation against your employer or the company that caused you to suffer this debilitating injury.
The federal government’s definition of disability is a very strict one. At the risk of oversimplifying, it basically means that you have been unable to work for at least a year or you are expected to be unable to work for at least that long. Of course, sometimes the interpretations are subjective, and this is why having strong legal representation is important.
In order to qualify for federal benefits, you don’t have to prove that your injury or illness happened on the job. But many of those who apply have a disability that stems from workplace exposure to some hazard.
A recent report released by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and MassCOSH, entitled, “Dying to Work in Massachusetts,” detailed some of the more hazardous occupations in the state over the last year. Conservative estimates are that about 50,000 workers were serious injured last year, with about 1,800 newly diagnosed with cancers caused by workplace exposures. Again, not all of those 50,000 are going to qualify for federal benefits, but depending on the severity of their injury, they might.
What primarily causes these serious injuries and illnesses? Among the top injuries and illnesses in the state:
- Tree working accidents;
- Construction industry falls;
- Exposure to asbestos resulting in mesothelioma;
- Occupational asthma;
- Fishing industry accidents.
It doesn’t help that the Occupational Safety & Health Administration is sorely underfunded and understaffed and that fines for workplace violations are abysmal. Even workplace violations that result in death were, on average in Massachusetts, only about $9,500. It’s cheaper to violate federal regulations and then pay later than to simply comply.
Of course, it’s not cheaper for the workers who suffer life-altering injuries. That’s where we can help.
If you are considering filing for SSDI in Boston, call for a free and confidential appointment at (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
National Safety Month 2013, June 2013, National Safety Council
Dying for Work in Massachusetts, April 28, 2013, Massachusetts AFL-CIO and MassCOSH
More Blog Entries:
Boston SSDI Lawyers Advise Securing Private Disability Insurance Too, May 11, 2013, Boston Social Security Disability Lawyer Blog