Maryland Workers’ Compensation and Dog Bite Injuries
If you were bitten by a dog while working in Maryland, can you seek workers’ compensation benefits? Often, workers who are commonly at risk of dog bite injuries because of the types of jobs they do can be eligible to obtain workers’ compensation benefits. While there is a common stereotype of postal workers being bitten by dogs — and certainly, these are one type of work injury in which a dog bite can occur — there are actually many types of jobs where dog bite injuries are somewhat commonplace.
Our Maryland workers’ compensation lawyers can provide you with more information about filing a claim after a dog attack, and we can also tell you more about some of the types of jobs in which a dog bite injury is likely to be seen as arising out of and occurring in the course of employment — the requirement for obtaining workers’ compensation benefits.
Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim After a Dog Bite Injury
Dog attacks and dog bite injuries can happen in many different types of jobs in Maryland, and it is important to know what you must do in order to seek workers’ compensation benefits. In order to be eligible for medical care, wage-replacement benefits, and disability benefits, you must provide evidence that shows your injury arose out of and occurred in the course of your employment, as we noted above. To do that, you should collect as much evidence as you can at the scene where the injury occurred, and our firm can also help you to obtain your medical records and to gather evidence that shows dog bites are a risk in your line of work. You should also report the injury to your employer as soon as possible to ensure that you maintain your eligibility for workers’ compensation coverage.
In some cases involving work-related dog bites, you may also be eligible to file a third-party lawsuit, depending on the details of the case. While workers’ compensation is an exclusive remedy, there are incidents in which a third party, such as a dog owner, may also be liable for your injuries and can be held accountable through a personal injury lawsuit.
Types of Jobs in Which Dog Bites Tend to Occur or in Which Employees Are at Regular Risk of Dog Bites
In what types of jobs are dog bite injuries likely to occur, besides post carrier jobs? The following is a brief list according to data from PMC PubMed Central and the National Library of Medicine:
- Utility workers, including gas and electric workers who perform tasks outdoors and take meter readers;
- Delivery drivers, such as Amazon drivers, UPS or FedEx drivers, as well as UberEats and other food delivery workers;
- Veterinarians and veterinary technicians;
- Home repair workers, including maintenance workers such as plumbers, electricians, and cable installers, as well as construction workers performing residential jobs; and
- Exterminators.
Contact a Maryland Workers’ Compensation Attorney for Assistance Seeking Compensation After a Work-Related Dog Bite Injury
Dog bites can occur in many different kinds of work and can be compensable through the Maryland workers’ compensation system. One of the experienced Maryland workers’ compensation attorneys at the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC can begin working with you on your claim today. Contact us to get started.
Source:
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov