Nestle recently lost a workers comp case on appeal after one of their workers claimed he developed Legionnaires’ disease from cleaning vending machines for the company. Multiple expert witnesses stood up for the worker, but still Nestle took it all the way to appeals court. Nestle is one of the biggest companies in the world. It won’t destroy their bottom line to pay this claim. So then why do such big companies fight workers comp claims so hard?
Why Fight Workers Comp Claims at All?
Workers comp allows workers to get compensation when they’re injured on the job. It can be really easy to prove, like a truck accident for a delivery company, or it can be harder to prove, like developing a rare disease while cleaning a vending machine. But either way, if you’re injured on the job, workers comp is often the only way to get compensation.
In theory, workers comp helps keep costs down for you and the company. It keeps you from suing the company, but also prevents the company from retaliating against you. It should be a win-win. But in reality, it doesn’t always work that way.
Companies fight hard against workers comp all the time. The reasons vary, but here are a few I’ve seen as a Memphis workers comp lawyer:
They Want to Discourage Other Claims
When employees see a workers comp claim last months and years, they sometimes think twice about filing their own claims. This keeps insurance costs and legal fees down for the corporation.
The Case Looks Bad for the Company
Many workers comp cases just happen by honest mistake. Accidents occur all the time, and workers comp doesn’t take into account whose fault it was. But sometimes the case looks so bad for the company, they might not want to admit fault. They want to show they believe their own innocence. For example, if the company didn’t do a proper safety check on dangerous equipment or if they appear to have sent their workers into harm’s way.
They Figure Why Not Fight Workers Comp Claims?
These big companies want you to think workers comp costs them an unfair amount in fees and insurance. But in reality, they have so much money set aside for these cases that one claim barely registers in many of their budgets. They have the money to fight through multiple appeals, even when it’s obvious they will eventually have to pay. Clearly, they don’t care about the cost as much as they claim to.
So workers comp can be a David and Goliath fight in which the worker has to play David. It shouldn’t be that way. But sometimes that’s exactly how it feels.
A Lawyer to Fight Your Workers Comp Claim
Our Memphis workers comp lawyers love playing David. We hate seeing workers have to fight so hard for their right to health care and compensation, and we do everything we can to make the process go smoothly and successfully for you.
If you need to file a workers comp claim in Memphis, contact us today. The conversation is free.
Call us at 901-327-1212, or drop us a line using our web contact form.