On Your Side After An Injury

Amazon accused of denying on-the-job injury claims

The convenience offered by the on-line retail giant Amazon created enormous wealth for its founder and CEO. Customers all across the country, including here in Missouri, may not be aware that the company has also been accused of unfairly denying the claims of workers who have suffered an on-the-job injury. Many have spoken of their fight for medical and workers’ comp benefits.

Employees claim that the company often refuses to acknowledge the seriousness of work-related injuries and will deny benefits for valid claims. One woman who worked for a fulfillment center reported that she experienced nerve damage from work-related carpal tunnel syndrome. She sought care from the on-site health clinic on multiple occasions and was advised to return to duty. She was finally forced to undergo surgery to relieve her symptoms, but the company’s workers’ compensation insurer fought her claim for more than a year before approving the procedure.

A journal’s investigation into the company reportedly found many cases where employees were forced to work with injuries or were left without income while they fought medical coverage. In 2018, Amazon was included on the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health’s listing of dangerous workplaces. One woman who injured her knee in a fall reported that the company fought her claim for workers’ comp and then fired her when she returned for taking too long on her delivery route. She was later awarded back compensation for her injury leave.

Employees who hold executive positions have also struggled for benefits for an on-the-job injury. One family filed a wrongful death lawsuit after an executive suffered a heart attack that the family believes was related to the stress of fighting to get benefits for his claim resulting from a fall. No matter their employer, injured Missouri workers may be best served by seeking the assistance of a skilled attorney in order to receive all of the benefits to which one may be entitled.