Unlike many of the social programs to protect workers that were enacted following the Great Depression, the first workers' compensation laws were adopted in most states between 1911 and 1920.

Although many of the original workers' compensation laws look different from today's laws, they both are based on the premise that workers who are injured on the job should be compensated for medical payments and any lost income. In many cases, workers could collect about two-thirds of their normal income.

Before workers' compensation laws were adopted, workers injured in the workplace could sue the employer on the basis of negligence liability. However, many of these cases were ruled in favor of the employer.

If you believe you deserve workers' compensation, contact the Iowa workers' compensation lawyers of LaMarca & Landry at 877-327-2600.

In many workers' compensation cases that are appealed, the case is first reviewed by the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB). The WCAB is a seven-member judical body appointed by the governor and approved by the state sneate.

The WCAB mainly reconsiders petitions for appeal and regulates the process of adopting rules and procedures for workers' compensation cases. Its powers are vested by the labor code and it oversees the judges of the Division of Workers' Compensation.

If you or anyone you know has questions about the WCAB, contact the Des Moines workers' compensation lawyers of LaMarca & Landry at 877-327-2600.

Des Moines school district offices paid more than $200,000 for lawsuit settlements in the past fiscal year. The settlements represent part of the damages owed from seven lawsuit settlements dating back to December 2006. 

Among those settlements, the school district paid $60,000 to a former custodian, $75,000 to a former food and nutrition department director, and $104,000 to a former school bus driver. School officials said they could not discuss details of the settlements, as dictated by the settlement agreements. 

If you are considering filing a lawsuit with your employer, contact the Des Moines workers' compensation lawyers of LaMarca & Landry at 877-327-2600.

Many employees at struggling companies fear that their workers' compensation benefits may be in jeopardy. For instance, if a company files for bankruptcy, some employees believe they will stop receiving workers' compensation payments for their previous job-related injuries. 

That belief, howerver, may be slightly misguided. For most companies, employee workers' compensation payments actually come from the company's compensation insurance provider. As long as the company has kept up with its insurance premium payments, then the workers' compensation payments should continue at their normal amount. And even if a company has allowed its workers' compensation insurance to lapse, employees may still be able to seek benefits.

If you are worried about your workers' compensation payments, contact the Iowa workers' compensation lawyers of LaMarca & Landry, P.C. at 877-327-2600.