How to receive workers’ comp after a Lowe’s employee is injured on the job
Lowe’s Home Improvement is one of the biggest hardware and home improvement chains in the United States, and they are headquartered right here in Mooresville, North Carolina—just 30 miles up the road from Charlotte. Lowe’s started in 1946 and continues expanding to more states and countries.
As of 2020, the company had 2,204 stores around the world with more than 300,000 employees. For a company raking in more than $50 billion in net sales every year, employees need to know they are covered in case of an injury.
Like other companies in North and South Carolina, Lowe’s must abide by the workers’ compensation laws of the state. Workers’ compensation is an insurance policy that covers employees who sustain injuries at the workplace. If an employee develops a permanent or partial disability, the insurance policy will provide them benefits including lost wages and medical expenses.
Lowe’s employees may work in one of the following positions:
- Stocker
- Cashier
- Manual laborer
- Lot attendant
- Sales specialist
- Supervisor
- Manager
- Lawn and garden center attendant
Whichever position you hold at Lowe’s, there is always risk of a work-related injury. One can slip and fall on a wet floor in one of the stores, sustain damage from repetitive movements or damage their backs and necks from lifting items.
Because Lowe’s has more than 30 distribution centers in the U.S., they have a fleet of truck drivers on the roads. These drivers risk being in a road accident. Workers in warehouses risk falling from ladders or breaking their backs and necks while loading trucks.
If you are injured while working at Lowe’s, whether at one of the retail stores, distribution centers, or you are a driver on the road, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation.
What to do if you’re hurt while working at Lowe’s
If you sustain work-related injuries while working for Lowe’s, first you need to file a claim in order to get the benefits available to you. Once the claim is approved, you should receive about two-thirds of your pay when you aren’t able to report to work.
To get the benefits, you need to report to your employer immediately after the accident. You will have 30 days to report the injury to your employer or you forfeit your workers’ comp benefits. After filing your claim, you’ll wait for the results.
You need to seek medical attention right away after an injury. This ensures that your injuries don’t get worse and you don’t spend a prolonged period out of work. Your hospital visits will also act as evidence in your claim. However, you can’t just visit any doctor of your choice. Lowe’s has contracts with some medical providers, which your manager can direct you to after an injury. If you visit any other unauthorized medical provider, you may have to cover the costs of treatment.
Keep all the records and evidence from your doctor visits. These records include medical bills, prescription receipts, receipts for medical equipment and devices, medical records and physician notes. Also, keep records of all the days you miss work and the wages you lost. Maintaining thorough documentation will help in fast approval of your workers’ compensation claim.
If you can, write down how the injury occurred immediately after it occurred. This way, you will not forget some important details about the injury.
What if your claim is denied?
It’s not uncommon for your claim to be denied, possibly for little cause or reason. As such, you need to have enough supporting documents to ensure your claim goes throughout without any challenges.
If there is a witness at the scene of the accident, you need to collect their report. A statement from a witness will corroborate your story. Attach this statement with a copy of the accident report. This report should have complete details of the incident that led to the accident.
A surveillance video can also help your claim. Check if there is a camera near your place of work and whether it captured the accident. Luckily, Lowe’s has surveillance cameras in all their stores, warehouses and centers for security reasons. Your attorney can request that the surveillance video be provided as evidence in your claim.
Other documents you need are medical records. These records will show the presence and severity of your injury and also the medical expenses you incurred.
Talk to a workers’ compensation attorney to increase your chances of being awarded benefits. You may not know how to file your claim, and you may not know what documents you need and how fast you need to file the claim.
Our work injury attorney understands the law in both North Carolina and South Carolina, and we will secure the best possible outcome in your case. If you don’t know what to do after an accident, schedule your free case review today.