Learn Why It Is Important to Report Any Injury That Occurs In Your Workplace

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Learn Why It Is Important to Report Any Injury That Occurs In Your Workplace

By LaMesaDuiLawyer | June 28, 2010

Recently the Worker's Compensation Board has asked a plastics manufacturer, who has failed to report numerous job-related injuries, why it shouldn't be fined up to $525,00 for their lack of action. After an investigation by the state it was found the company had failed to report at least 21 on-the-job injuries within the required time frame. Any work-related injury must be reported in less than ten days, according to state law. When you would like to get more information on personal injury lawyer check out this site.

The company was compelled to prove that they complied with the law by reporting the injuries to the Workers' Compensation Board within the legal time frame. However, it is expected that the state's inquiry into the case will show that injuries from even a year ago were never revealed to the board. It is also found that no other company had ever had to deal with such a case.

During their investigation, attorneys working for the Workers Compensation Board was unable to find another case involving a company being fined for failure to report or for under reporting instances of job-related injuries since the law was created in 1944. A legal representative of the business in question couldn't even turn up any such cases. The manufacturers lawyer was even a lawyer specialized in Worker's Compensation.

The Worker's Compensation Board has not made any comments regarding the allegations against the plastic manufacturer. The plastics manufacturer's human resources manager stated that he will be happy to see the matter come to a close. Still, the case represents a chance to further examine the elements involved and what has been discovered thus far should lead to a satisfactory ending. You will gain a deeper understanding about personal injury lawyer melbourne by checking out that resource.

The company has been blamed by several employees and the steelworkers' union for intentionally omitting information regarding the injuries to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Workers' Compensation Board. The workers feel that by the company not reporting the incidents they are gaining financial advantage by cheating the worker protection system. There were reports of injured workers receiving paid medical care and stipends from the business if their injuries resulted in their not being able to work.

According to an attorney from the United Steelworkers of America, businesses will avoid reporting on-the-job injuries in order to thwart a massive investigation from the board, in addition to averting any later compensation to the injured worker for chronic problems caused by the injury. The Workers' Compensation Board was presented with another sixty cases that involved other non work related injuries some of which stretched as far back as 1994. The company is defending the late reportings stating that it misunderstood the law surrounding these particular injuries.

Should the company be found by Workers' Compensation to have transgressed the law, it could sustain fines of up to $2500 for every instance which was not filed within ten days of the injury. Criminal charges could also be pending if the company is found at fault. The division of criminal fraud in the attorney general's office was alerted to the matter by the Workers' Compensation Board.

The investigation is on-going based on further accusations that more employees were injured - some losing small body parts - and the incidents were not reported.

A former employee has alleged in a $350,000 lawsuit that the firm canceled her health insurance while she was on Workers' Compensation as they at the same time were taking her payments for the premiums.

A corporate-wide investigation is being demanded by the director of the United Steelworkers of America due to the allegations that have been brought to light at this particular plant. The manufacturer operates four additional plants in the states of Illinois and Indiana.

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