On August 10, 2022, a Memphis Fire Department (MFD) firefighter passed away from his injuries while three others were hospitalized. The accident occurred in South Memphis at 8 p.m., and involved a fire truck that crashed at Cambridge Avenue by Danny Thomas Boulevard. Police arrived at the accident scene at 8:19 p.m. Four of the MFD employees were taken to Regional One Health Trauma Center where one of them later passed away. Another victim was in a pickup truck and was transported to the hospital and was listed in critical condition. The collision was caused by the pickup truck driver who ran a red light and struck the fire truck.
The accident involving the Memphis Fire Department firefighters shows that an accident can happen any time while you are on the job. When an accident occurs at work, you may be eligible to recover workers compensation benefits. Workers compensation benefits allows injured workers to receive compensation so that their work-related injury costs will be covered. If you have been in an accident and would like to find out if you are eligible for benefits, you may want to hire a workers compensation lawyer so that you can maximize your benefit amount.
The Purpose of Workers Compensation
The workers compensation system is designed for workers and employers to be able to cover their expenses related to their injury. It benefits both the worker and the employer. Under workers compensation, workers who have a qualifying injury can receive such benefits like medical care, temporary and permanent disability benefits, and even death benefits. It also covers any missed wages that the worker is unable to make due to the injury. It is valuable to many workers who have difficulty paying for their sudden expenses.
Injuries That Can Qualify
There is a list of injuries that qualify for workers compensation. The worker must have suffered the injury while they were on duty, and were not engaging in horseplay and violating any company policies or laws at the time the injury occurred. If you would like to learn more about injuries that will enable you to file a workers compensation claim, you can obtain more information from a qualified Memphis, TN workers compensation lawyer like one from Darrell Castle and Associates, PLLC.
How a Lawyer Can Help You
While the workers compensation system was created primarily to help workers, actually completing the process and recovering benefits is not easy. Unfortunately, it is common for some employers to prevent their workers from filing workers compensation claims. They may intentionally make the process confusing or take steps to keep you from filing the claim. If you are being threatened with retaliation for filing a workers compensation claim, you are encouraged to meet with a lawyer about what you can do.
Legal Help Is Available
The MFD collision in Memphis underscores the importance of workers compensation for many workers. You can obtain legal help if you are having issues with a workers compensation claim. If you have been in an accident, you may want to hire a lawyer immediately to discuss your case and legal options.