Several States Amending Workers' Comp Bills

The governor of Maine signed into action three bills on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, simplifying the state's workers' compensation law. Specifically, the bills take into account the ambiguity that has factored into many previous workers' comp cases in the state, and has added amendments to hopefully prevent this in the future. The third bill passed by the governor standardizes definitions in order to reduce any confusion about who is or is not eligible for workers' comp under the law.

In Virginia, governor McDonnell has also recently reworked state legislation regarding a controversial loophole in the state's workers' comp laws. The governor's decision reportedly defies an earlier ruling passed by the General Assembly which was designed to benefit workers suffering from injuries that prevent them from accurately testifying about their accidents. In particular, the initial law was meant to protect brain injury victims; however, the governor's new legislation does not take the same stance on "unable to recall" and "unable to testify" legislation. The protections awarded to victims who are unable to recall the events of an accident have been the source of much controversy in the state, and it seems that the indecision is not yet over.

Mississippi senators are also contemplating change to their workers' comp bill, which has reportedly been under a lot of controversy as of late. Supporters of the bill staunchly stick to their opinion that the new legislation effectively removes an existing bias towards workers. Opponents, on the other hand, vehemently claim that the changes will make it more difficult for workers to receive compensation after being injured in a work-related accident. Only time will tell what the outcome of the decision will be, and until the decision is made workers and employers alike will be waiting with baited breath.

If you were injured on the job then you will likely benefit from filing a workers' compensation claim. As you can see, matters involving workers' comp are often hotly contested; very often, they are the source of much consternation. Therefore, as you proceed through the process of filing a claim, you should have a Raleigh personal injury attorney on your side helping you along the way. At Whitley Law Firm we have dedicated a large part of our personal injury services specifically to the rights and needs of employees that were injured on the job. We know what it takes to successfully file a claim in a way that will be most effective for your specific situation. Therefore, we encourage you to contact a Raleigh workers' compensation lawyer from our firm today to learn more about how we can be of service after your work-related accident.