GM Workers Compensation Claims – follow up

Posted in Workers' compensation on March 19, 2011

Thursday I wrote about handling GM work comp claims. Yesterday morning I saw again why it is so important to hire an experienced and aggressive Tennessee workers’ compensation attorney.

GM workers’ benefits are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, even after retirement. With the stroke of a pen, disability, health care and other benefits can be reduced or eliminated. I often meet with GM workers’ who tell me they were injured years ago but never pursued their rightful claim. Everything seems fine until the injury gets worse or benefits are reduced. Then, many times, it is too late.

Here is why it is important to make sure you pursue your claim and have an attorney who knows how to properly secure every benefit you are entitled to. The Flint Journal reports that injured GM workers’ in Michigan are seeing a reduction in benefits due to an agreement with GM and the UAW.

For years, GM and the UAW agreed not to do that, but in the wake of the company’s financial crisis last year, the UAW and GM came up with an agreement to cut workers’ compensation, consistent with state law, said Tom Wilkinson, a GM spokesman.

In Michigan, “1,800 retirees saw some reduction in their benefits because of this,” Wilkinson said, adding the number could be higher nationally.

GM wants to make sure injured workers aren’t making more per month with their disability pension, Social Security disability payments and workers’ compensation payments than their average wage at GM when they were hurt.

This is why it is crucial to hire a Tennessee work comp attorney who knows the GM/UAW collective bargaining agreement and the workers’ compensation law so your rights are preserved and won’t later be cut.