Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Huntsville

Huntsville depends on hardworking people across all industries, from the aerospace and defense workers supporting Redstone Arsenal and Marshall Space Flight Center, to the thousands employed in advanced manufacturing across Cummings Research Park and the Toyota–Mazda plant, to the service and healthcare employees who keep Huntsville Hospital and Downtown businesses running every day.

The risk of injury in these occupations is real, whether it’s from heavy machinery, repetitive motion, construction accidents, or even slips and falls on the job site. However, workers who are injured on the job often hesitate to file claims to get reimbursed for their medical expenses out of fear of retaliation by their employers or because they’re worried their claims won’t get approved.

At Tyler Mann Injury Law, we’re here to tell you that you deserve to be compensated for your injury, and to help defend you against both your employer and their insurance provider.

What is Workers’ Compensation?

Any business with five or more employees in Alabama is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance, with very few exceptions. If an employee is ever injured at work or while performing work duties, they can get compensation for their injury-related expenses through their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.

If you are injured at work, you can’t sue your employer—you can only get compensation through a workers’ compensation claim. However, unlike in a typical personal injury claim, you don’t need to prove that your employer was negligent and that caused your injury.

You only need to prove your injury occurred at work or while working, and to report the injury to your employer when it occurs or as soon as you become aware of it (in the case of illness or slowly developing injuries) before filing a claim. It is even illegal for an employer to fire or retaliate against an employee for filing a workers’ compensation claim.

This process applies not just to private employers, but also to public workers. For example, employees of the City of Huntsville, including police officers, firefighters, sanitation crews, public works staff, and administrative employees, are covered by the city’s workers’ compensation program, which provides medical care and wage replacement when injuries occur in the line of duty.

Whether you’re employed by a large aerospace manufacturer, a local hospital, or the City itself, the law is clear: workers have the right to seek benefits after a job-related injury, and employers cannot legally retaliate against them for doing so.

What Are Common Injuries of a Workers’ Compensation Case in Alabama?

To qualify for workers’ compensation, an injury must be more serious than can be treated with a typical first aid kit. Injuries are classified into four categories:

  • Temporary Partial Disability (you can continue to work limited hours while recovering)
  • Temporary Total Disability (you are unable to work at all while recovering)
  • Permanent Partial Disability (you can continue to work, but potentially not the work you did before the injury)
  • Permanent Total Disability (you are unable to do the work you did before, or any other type of work)

Common examples of workplace injuries include:

  • Hearing loss
  • Overextension injuries, including torn muscles and sprains
  • Repetitive stress injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Allergic reactions
  • Occupational diseases, including lung conditions
  • Slip and fall/trip and fall injuries
  • Injuries caused by falling objects
  • Thermal and chemical burns
  • Machinery accidents, including amputated body parts
  • Mental injuries or disorders caused by the stress of a physical injury

Where to Get Treatment After a Work-Related Injury in Huntsville

If you suffer a work-related injury in Huntsville, it’s important to get medical care right away. That’s because timely treatment helps protect your health and supports your workers’ compensation claim. Depending on the severity of the injury, you’ll want to go either to an emergency hospital or to a nearby urgent care clinic.

Below are some trusted local options:

  • Huntsville Hospital: This is a full-service hospital that provides emergency, trauma, imaging, surgical, and inpatient care. For serious injuries such as broken bones, head injuries, deep lacerations, or anything life-threatening, this facility can provide the level of care you need.
  • Crestwood Medical Center: This hospital offers a 24/7 emergency department and diagnostic services for minor to moderate injuries like severe sprains, moderate fractures, or lacerations needing stitches.
  • Huntsville Hospital Urgent Care: For injuries such as minor cuts, muscle strains, minor burns, or work-related overuse injuries, an urgent care clinic can often provide faster, more convenient treatment.
  • Fox Army Health Center (Redstone Arsenal): If you are a civilian or military beneficiary connected to Redstone Arsenal, this clinic provides primary care, outpatient procedures, labs, and radiological services. For some work-related injuries among military or government contractor employees, this may be an option, depending on eligibility.

What Recoveries Can Be Made in a Workers’ Compensation Case?

For non-emergency care, injured Alabama workers will need to get treatment by a doctor selected by their employer’s workers’ compensation provider. That said, workers’ compensation is responsible for paying for all reasonably necessary medical care, including:

  • Doctor’s visits
  • Diagnostic tests
  • Hospital stays
  • Prescription medication
  • Physical therapy
  • Gas costs incurred from traveling to medical appointments
  • Vocational rehabilitation
  • Disability benefits (typically two-thirds of your weekly wages, depending on your degree of disability)

Unlike other types of personal injury lawsuits, however, injured workers can’t recover non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, in workers’ compensation claims.

However, if a third-party contributed to your injuries, you could also file a personal injury lawsuit. For example, a delivery driver who is involved in a car accident caused by someone else while making deliveries could file both a workers’ compensation claim against their employer and a personal injury claim against the person who caused the car accident and get compensation for pain and suffering that way.

How Long Do I Have to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Alabama?

In Alabama, you generally have two (2) years from the date of your workplace injury—or from the date of your last compensation payment, if you’ve been receiving benefits—to formally file a workers’ compensation claim in court.

Before that step, however, you must report your injury to your employer in order to preserve your right to benefits. Alabama law requires injured workers to give notice of an accident to their employer within five (5) days of the injury, if possible. If you fail to provide notice within 90 days, you may lose the right to receive workers’ compensation benefits.

What Can Tyler Mann Do for My Workers’ Compensation Case?

Your employer’s workers’ compensation provider may try to deny your claim by saying the injury didn’t occur at work, that it was a pre-existing condition, that you missed an important deadline for filing your claim, or for another reason.

At Tyler Mann Injury Law LLC, we don’t let big insurance providers, business owners, corporations, or even the Alabama workers’ compensation board bully injured workers. When you hire us, we will take every measure to argue your claim and get you the compensation you deserve, including handling the paperwork and communication with the insurance adjusters. And if your claim has already been denied, we will help you appeal and reopen your claim. Contact us today to file your workers’ compensation claim today.