Every day, millions of American workers are asked to put their health, safety and lives on the line for the profit of their employers.
Give and Take
Not that it’s all injustice and exploitation. It is an integral part of the unwritten, unspoken labor contract between a worker and his or her employer. When someone takes a job, they are aware of the risks involved and willingly take those risks in exchange for an honest paycheck. This contract is how things get done. It’s how people make a living. And it is how America maintains her ranking as one of the world’s largest, most productive economies.
But that doesn’t mean workers shouldn’t somehow be protected in the event of an injury. After all, workers compose the bulk of America’s productive potential. Without them, industrialists, managers, and executives have nothing to do. No one makes money. And the economic machinery of our country comes to a screeching halt.
A Gift From Your Parents
We’ve come a long way since the Industrial Revolution where children worked 16-hour days, six days a week, deep underground in a dark, dusty coal mine. The workers of Western civilization have had to fight an uphill battle to ensure things we now take for granted: the abolishment of child labor, 8-hour workdays, weekends, sick leave, the right to unionize, health coverage, and Workers’ Compensation.
Take pride in your heritage, your history as a worker at the end of a long line of workers. It is you and those like you who have built the world to be as it is. For that, you deserve more than simply a paycheck—you deserve respect and freedom from fear that you’ll be left broke and unemployed in the event you become injured while working for your employer. It is your skills and knowledge and experience that make you their most valuable asset.
A Good Idea and an Even Better Law
Following the lead of several European countries, Workers’ Compensation insurance was established in America more than 100 years ago.
Workers’ Compensation is an entitlement granted to workers by law. It is there expressly for the purpose of protecting those who injure themselves in the line of duty. You deserve it because of your contributions to your employer, your contributions to society and because there are laws in place entitling Workers’ Compensation to you.
If you find yourself in a position where your claim is being contested—or even denied, remember your value and that the law is on your side. Contact an attorney who specializes in Workers’ Compensation claims and get what you deserve.