If you get hurt while driving to the grocery store or working at your job,  you may be able to recover money for the damage and loss. Whether you file a personal injury or workers’ compensation claim makes a difference in what financial award the law allows. No matter what circumstances result in an injury, this information should help you determine how to proceed.

Personal Injury

Personal injuries arise from various circumstances, including a car accident, slip and fall, or medical malpractice. Grounds for these claims are negligence, intentional conduct, or strict liability, which Connecticut applies in dog bite cases. 

To prove a personal injury claim, you must show someone else was at fault and that their negligent or intentional act or failure to act harmed you. You must establish a loss demonstrated in physical injury and in an amount of money, such as medical bills and lost wages.

Medical treatment records and bills, documents showing lost wages or income, and photos or videos of the incident showing bodily injury or property damage can serve as evidence for personal injury claims. Testimony from you and other witnesses can prove cause, fault, and damages, including pain and suffering.     

Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation claims arise only when employees get hurt or become ill during their jobs. To have grounds for a claim, your injury must be sustained in the course of employment.

You don’t have to prove fault to receive benefits, but there’s no compensation for pain and suffering, which distinguishes workers’ comp claims from personal injury cases. Connecticut law requires almost all employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance for their employees.

You must notify your employer of a work illness or injury immediately so that they can provide medical attention. Documentation or physical evidence of your injury on the job proves your claim. If the claim is successful, you receive medical care, rehabilitation services, and payments for lost wages until you’re able to return to work.  

Whether you get hurt at work or in a car accident, contact the Law Office of Thomas L. Brayton III in Waterbury, CT. This firm has 31 years of experience in representing individuals with workers’ compensation and personal injury claims. Led by a 2019 Avvo® top-rated lawyer, they serve clients across New Haven and Litchfield counties. To request a consultation, call (203) 591-8689. Visit their website to learn more about their legal services.