Restaurants and Workers’ Comp: What’s Changed?

Over the past couple of years, there’s been an increase in workers’ comp claims at restaurants across the United States, including Memphis. What has caused this rise, and what can you do if they deny your claim?

Staff Turnover Leads to More Workers’ Comp Claims

With massive shifts in the workforce recently, restaurants have seen enormous turnover.

The harder it’s become to hire new workers, the more restaurants have looked outside the industry for new staff. That means a lot of workers have never spent time in the high-pressure kitchen environment. They may struggle at first to carry heavy trays or follow safety guidelines.

As a result, these continual rollovers often lead to more workplace injuries, as new employees train and learn the layout.

Workers Pushed to Their Limits

Along with staff turnover, a lot of restaurants are chronically understaffed right now. That means even the most experienced workers may struggle to keep up with their obligations. 

For example, when a restaurant doesn’t have enough wait staff, servers may feel pressured to carry more than is safe or rush through the room with heavy and sharp objects.

And it’s even harder on the kitchen staff. Without enough people to run the kitchen, workers may become overloaded with multiple burners and rushed prep time. Accidents in that environment—with boiling pots and sharp knives—can mean severe injuries.

A Company’s Responsibility for Safety

Just like any other company, restaurants have to provide a safe environment for their employees. This includes:

  • adequate staffing
  • proper training
  • following guidelines for food safety
  • and more.

Instead, over the last few years, some restaurants have cut staff to dangerous levels. This impacts every employee and can make the entire workforce less safe. It can also lead to mental and emotional breakdowns.

When a restaurant worker gets injured on the job, they should be covered by workers’ comp. Restaurants carry this insurance to help employees any time there’s a workplace accident—no matter who was at fault. Usually, this process helps make sure everything runs smoothly after a workplace accident.

But when it doesn’t… what can you do?

What to Do If They Deny Your Claim

The rise in workers’ comp claims at restaurants shows a deep problem in the industry. Workers’ comp exists to prevent abuse. And a company not having it, or refusing to pay it when it’s deserved, is totally unacceptable.

And yet, the insurance company will refuse your workers’ comp claim. When this happens, you need to get an attorney.

Without workers’ comp, you’ll be on the hook for all of your medical expenses and lost wages. What’s worse, your employer may not protect your job as you get better.

Our attorneys will work with you to strengthen your workers’ comp claim. We help you build a successful case, and we don’t win a thing unless you do.

If you’ve been injured in a restaurant and have been denied workers’ comp, contact us today or fill out the form below. We look forward to helping you.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.