Kroger has 211 retail stores and employs 35,954 associates in Ohio. The supermarket chain operates across the state, and as experienced work injury lawyers, we know how common it is for workers to be injured by:
You can become injured at any job, but as a Kroger employee, you can be hurt while in the freezer, at a distribution center, or carrying boxes – anywhere.
If you’re injured on the job, you have rights and shouldn’t have to worry about medical bills or lost wages.
At Schaffer & Associates, LPA, we have offices in Toledo and Findlay, where our legal team can review your claim and help you with any workers’ compensation claims you may have.
Contact a Toledo Kroger Workplace Injury Lawyer today.
Your first step after any workplace injury is to alert your supervisor and file a report. Supervisors should provide the necessary information to make a report. You’ll need to seek medical attention for:
A common mistake that workers make is not reporting an incident as soon as possible. Legally, you have one year from your date of injury to file a claim. However, the longer you wait to report an incident, the more likely your claim may be denied. Insurers may deny a claim that isn’t reported quickly on the grounds that they don’t know when the injury occurred.
You’ll need to prove that your injuries weren’t related to something that happened after the incident occurred, or due to a preexisting condition.
Seeking prompt medical care allows you to have an early diagnosis that connects your injuries to the workplace incident.
You’ll want to:
If you follow these basic steps, you’ll strengthen your claim and be well on the way to healing from your injuries. A Toledo Kroger workplace injury attorney could help you with the process.
Note: Kroger may request you to go to a specific hospital for treatment. However, In Ohio, you have free choice of physician.
Workers’ compensation claims can be filed by your work injury lawyer, and we can protect your rights if the claim is not accepted. Your medical provider may file a claim on your behalf, and this filing should occur within 24 hours of your visit.
Additionally, you can file your claim online or follow the guidelines on the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s official site. You will need to provide medical support.
If your claim is denied, it may prolong your access to treatment and increase your financial burden. Hiring an attorney provides peace of mind that you:
A Toledo Kroger workplace injury attorney will work on your behalf, seek the benefits you deserve and work alongside you until the claim is approved. If the employer or insurer pushes back and does not want to approve a claim, your lawyer will help you navigate the next steps.
Ohio employers with at least one employee are required by law to have workers’ coverage to protect employees when injured on the job.
Employers must provide coverage to employees from day one.
Coverage can be purchased through the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC), but large businesses such as Kroger may be self-insured.
Several benefit options are available to workers, including:
An experienced Toledo Kroger workplace injury attorney can help you understand all of the benefits that may be available to you and walk you through the steps of filing a claim.
In Ohio, necessary steps following a work injury are very different depending on whether the employer is self-insured or state-funded.
The first and most important step in the process is reporting the work-related injury or illness as soon as possible.
When reporting your injuries, make sure that you provide a thorough explanation of how the injuries were sustained.
Once you’ve reported the injury, it is crucial to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Failing to seek immediate care can make your injury worse.
Make sure that your doctor understands that you were injured at work so they can document your injuries properly.
The FROI will formally initiate the claim process for workers’ compensation. You can file it yourself, or the report can be filed by:
In Ohio, you have up to one year from the date of the injury to file a claim with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
When evaluating your claim, several factors will be taken into consideration, including:
Self-insured employers make the initial decision to accept or deny claims and diagnoses. If the self-insured employer does not agree, the issue can be heard by an Industrial Commission hearing officer. A claim will have to be filed with the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation before a hearing can take place. A Toledo Kroger workplace injury attorney can help with this.
Workplace injuries can disrupt your life and leave you feeling unsure of how to proceed. If you were injured while working at Kroger, you don’t have to go through the claim process alone.
The experienced attorneys at Schaffer & Associates can serve as your guide, ensuring that your claim is supported by sufficient medical evidence and that your injuries receive the treatment they need.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation with a Toledo Kroger workplace injury lawyer.