Most workers in Wauwatosa may feel a strong sense of loyalty towards their employers. This no doubt stems from the gratitude they have for a company paying their wages and offering them employment benefits that allow them to support themselves and their families. This feeling of loyalty may prompt them to avoid seeking assistance if and when they are injured on the job. They may worry that by seeking workers’ compensation, they are forcing their employers to deal with troubling situations that could reflect badly on them. This concern may also cause workers to fear being retaliated against if they were to pursue such a claim.
Stories such as that of an Illinois woman may reinforce these fears. The woman claims that she developed carpal tunnel syndrome as a consequence of her job working for a local auto dealership. She approached the company after learning of her diagnosis and stated her intention of possibly filing a workers’ compensation claim. A week later, she says that she was fired from her job without even being given an explanation. In a lawsuit that she subsequently filed against the company, she stated her belief that she was fired simply because she mentioned a potential workers’ compensation claim.
Employers cannot fire employees for seeking workers’ compensation benefits. In fact, the law requires that most companies provide such coverage. As long as a company can provide such benefits to employees, one might wonder why it would discourage employees from seeking them. Yet in the event that one does, an injured employee may be justified in seeking legal action. Such action might have a significantly better chance of success if it is supported by an experienced attorney.
