CHARLESTOWN WORKERS COMPENSATION LAWYER
You got hurt working.
You should be covered.
Workers’ comp is supposed to pay your bills and wages after any work injury, no matter whose fault it was. Larson Law makes sure it does, and looks for every last dollar beyond it.
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What a Charlestown workers compensation claim involves
A work injury threatens two things at once: your health and your paycheck. Massachusetts workers’ compensation is meant to protect both, paying your medical treatment and a share of your lost wages regardless of who was at fault. In exchange, the system is supposed to be simpler than a lawsuit. In practice, insurers dispute claims, cut off benefits early, and undervalue serious injuries, and an injured worker who does not know the rules can be left without the support the law promises.
That is where these cases turn. Getting the full benefits you are owed, and finding the additional recovery a work injury sometimes allows, takes a firm handling of the comp claim and a careful look at whether anyone besides your employer bears responsibility. Our firm does that work, the same way we handle the wider Boston personal injury attorney practice, through our Boston workers compensation lawyer team, and just up the road as a Cambridge workers compensation lawyer.
Work-injury matters run under Daniel J. Larson, whose experience appears on his attorney profile. From the first call you deal directly with a lawyer who will explain, in plain terms, how a Massachusetts comp claim works, what benefits you should receive, and what to do and avoid while the case is open.
The trade-off at the heart of the system is worth understanding. Because comp is no-fault, you do not have to prove your employer did anything wrong, only that you were hurt at work, and in return you generally cannot sue your employer for the injury. That makes benefits easier to obtain in theory, but it also means the fight is usually with an insurer over whether the injury is work-related, how disabled you are, and how long the benefits should last.
None of that is what the injured worker feels in the moment. They feel the pain, the pressure of bills, and the worry of a paycheck that has stopped. The job of turning a work injury into full, uninterrupted benefits, and of finding any additional claim the law allows, is exactly what a lawyer is for, and why early advice matters so much.
One costly misunderstanding is that comp covers everything a serious injury costs. It does not. Comp pays medical care and a portion of lost wages, but it does not pay for pain and suffering. Where a party other than the employer caused the injury, a separate claim can recover those damages, and recognizing that possibility early is often what makes an injured worker whole.
Another misunderstanding is that the process is straightforward and does not need a lawyer. Often it is not. Claims are denied, benefits are terminated, and insurers push injured workers back to jobs they cannot safely do. Having someone who knows the system, and who prepares the medical and vocational proof the claim depends on, frequently makes the difference between a denied claim and a fair one.
It also helps to understand the shape of the benefits. Comp provides medical treatment, wage-replacement benefits that differ depending on whether you are totally or partially unable to work, and, for lasting injuries, additional compensation. Knowing which benefits apply to your situation, and making sure the insurer pays them fully, is a large part of the work.
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The benefits are promised. We make them real.
- We make sure your claim is accepted and your benefits are not cut off early or paid at less than the law requires.
- We look beyond comp for a third-party claim, against a negligent contractor, driver, or product maker, that can pay for the pain and suffering comp does not.
- We prove your injury arose from your work when the insurer disputes the connection.
- We prepare the medical and vocational evidence your claim depends on, so a serious injury is never treated as minor.
- We handle the insurer and the Department of Industrial Accidents, so you are not fighting them while you heal.
- No fee unless we win
- Free, private case review
- Same-day response
- Honest advice from day one
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How Massachusetts law handles a work injury
Massachusetts workers’ compensation is a no-fault system: you receive benefits without proving your employer was negligent, and in return you generally cannot sue your employer for the injury. The sections below set out the coverage, the wage benefits, and the important exception that lets an injured worker reach beyond comp.
Injuries the system covers
Under G.L. c. 152, § 26, workers’ compensation covers a personal injury arising out of and in the course of employment, which includes sudden accidents and injuries that develop over time from the work itself. This matters because the phrase “arising out of and in the course of” is exactly what insurers dispute, and establishing that connection with the medical record is the foundation of the claim.
Wage benefits while you cannot work
Under G.L. c. 152, § 34, while you are totally unable to work you are entitled to weekly benefits equal to sixty percent of your average weekly wage, up to a statutory maximum and for a limited number of weeks. This matters because those benefits are what keep a household afloat during recovery, and insurers frequently try to end or reduce them before you are actually able to return to work.
Benefits when you can work but earn less
Under G.L. c. 152, § 35, if your injury lets you work but at reduced earnings, you may receive partial benefits equal to sixty percent of the difference between your old wage and what you can now earn, subject to statutory limits. This matters because insurers often push injured workers into lower-paying or unsuitable jobs, and these benefits are meant to bridge the real gap the injury created.
When someone other than your employer is at fault
Under G.L. c. 152, § 15, if a party other than your employer caused your injury, a subcontractor, a negligent driver, or the maker of defective equipment, you may bring a separate claim against that party for full damages, including the pain and suffering comp does not pay, while still receiving your benefits. This matters because that third-party claim is frequently where the real value of a serious work injury lies.
Finally, timing is fixed by statute. Under G.L. c. 152, § 41, notice of the injury must be given as soon as practicable, and a claim must generally be filed within four years of when you became aware that your disability was connected to your work. This matters because waiting can cost you the claim, and because a careful accounting of every present and future loss, including the wages the injury takes, should begin early.
These rules work together, and knowing how they apply is much of the value a lawyer adds. The coverage rule establishes that the injury is work-related; the wage-benefit sections determine what the insurer must pay while you recover or return at reduced earnings; the third-party provision opens the door to full damages when someone other than the employer is responsible; and the deadline protects the whole claim. A serious work-injury case is won by securing every benefit and pursuing every additional recovery the law allows.
Where Charlestown work injuries happen
Charlestown’s working economy spans construction, healthcare, hospitality, transportation, and the waterfront, and its work injuries follow that mix. The neighborhood’s steady development around Sullivan Square, Rutherford Avenue, and the Navy Yard puts construction workers at risk of falls, crush injuries, and equipment accidents; its restaurants and hotels bring burns, slips, and repetitive-strain injuries; its hospitals and care facilities cause lifting and needlestick injuries; and its warehouses, docks, and delivery routes produce the back, shoulder, and vehicle injuries common to heavy work.
The kind of workplace shapes the claim and the proof. A construction fall may involve not only the comp insurer but a general contractor or a subcontractor whose negligence created the hazard; a delivery injury may involve a negligent driver; and a machine injury may involve a defective product. Recognizing when a party other than the employer is responsible is part of building the fullest possible recovery, and it directly affects the income a serious injury costs you while you cannot work.
The nature of the injury also points toward the benefits and the evidence. A sudden traumatic injury, a condition that builds over time from repetitive work, and an occupational illness each raise different questions about how the injury arose and how it will be proven. Matching the medical and vocational proof to the injury is what separates a claim paid fully from one an insurer cuts short.
What the record proves
A work-injury claim is built on documentation. The report of the injury to the employer, the medical records tying the condition to the work, the treating physician’s opinion on disability, and, where a third party is involved, the evidence of that party’s negligence together establish both the comp claim and any additional recovery. Building that record early, and reporting the injury promptly, is frequently what defeats an insurer’s claim that the injury is not work-related.
The neighborhood’s industries also concentrate certain kinds of injuries. The construction sites produce falls and crush and equipment injuries; the kitchens and hotels produce burns and repetitive-strain conditions; the care facilities produce lifting injuries; and the docks and delivery routes produce heavy-labor and vehicle injuries. Reading which pattern an injury fits helps identify the benefits, any third-party claim, and the evidence that will decide it.
Even a single record can protect a disputed Charlestown work-injury claim: a prompt injury report, a treating doctor’s clear opinion, or evidence of a contractor’s safety violation can establish the claim and open the door to full recovery. Because that evidence is best gathered early, moving quickly is one of the most valuable steps an injured worker can take.
What a work injury can cost you
A serious work injury reaches well past the first medical visit. Its true cost includes the ongoing treatment and rehabilitation the injury requires, the wages lost while you cannot work or can work only at reduced earnings, the permanent effects of a lasting injury, and, where a third party is responsible, the pain and suffering that workers’ comp alone does not pay. Comp covers medical care and a portion of the wages you lose, but a full and careful accounting of everything a serious injury costs is exactly what an insurer works hardest to minimize.
The stakes are highest with an injury that keeps you from your trade, a back or spinal injury, a serious fracture, a crush injury, or an occupational illness that ends a career. In those cases the difference between the benefits an insurer wants to pay and the full value of the loss, in future treatment, lost earning power, and any third-party damages, can be enormous, and proving that value takes the medical record, the treating physicians, and often vocational and economic experts. That work is what keeps a life-changing injury from being settled for a fraction of its worth.
None of this is something an injured worker should manage alone while trying to heal and worrying about a lost paycheck. A free, private conversation can explain what benefits you should receive, whether a third-party claim exists, and what your situation may be worth, so your decisions are informed rather than rushed. Because these cases are handled on a contingency fee, that guidance comes with no upfront cost.
Facing the comp insurer alone is not a fair contest. Its adjusters handle these claims every day and are practiced at disputing the work connection, cutting off benefits early, sending you to their own doctors, and pushing a quick, low settlement before the full injury is known. A lawyer who proves the claim, secures the benefits, and pursues every additional recovery is what levels the field, and where a work injury proves fatal, we can explain what the loss entitles a family to recover.
The value of getting the medical picture right cannot be overstated, because in a work-injury case the medical and vocational proof drives everything. Whether the injury is work-related, how disabled you are, how long you will be out, and whether you can return to your trade all turn on the treating and examining physicians. Making sure that record is complete, and answering an insurer’s doctor who tries to minimize the injury or clear you too soon, is central to protecting the claim.
Acting early protects the whole case. The sooner the injury is reported and documented, the sooner any third-party responsibility is identified, and the sooner a lawyer can keep the insurer from cutting off benefits or locking in a low settlement, the better the outcome tends to be. For a serious injury with lasting effects, that early, informed handling is often what secures the full, long-term value the case holds, and it costs nothing to start.
Because a work injury can create both a comp claim and a separate third-party claim, coordinating the two is essential to a full recovery, and it involves rules, like the insurer’s right to be repaid from a third-party award, that are easy to get wrong. We handle both together, because a serious injury should not be limited to the benefits an insurer would prefer to pay.
It also helps to know how the two claims interact, because coordinating comp with a third-party case is where many workers quietly lose value. When you recover from a negligent third party, the comp insurer generally has a right to be repaid out of that recovery for the benefits it paid, but the amount and the timing are negotiable and often reduced, and a settlement of the third-party case usually must be approved to protect your interests. Handling that lien correctly can mean thousands of dollars more in your pocket, which is why the two claims should always be managed together.
There is also the human side the benefit formulas miss. A serious work injury can end a trade a person spent years learning, force a mid-career change, and strain a household that counted on that income, none of which is captured by a quick calculation of weekly checks. Part of our work is to document the full effect of the injury on your ability to earn a living, so the claim reflects the real cost of what happened rather than the narrowest reading an insurer would prefer.
Medical Treatment and Care
Lost Wages While You Recover
Permanent Injury Benefits
Third-Party Injury Damages
Three steps to protect your work injury claim
Report the injury and get care fast
Tell your employer about the injury as soon as possible and get medical treatment, making clear to your doctor that the injury happened at work. A prompt report and a clear record are hard to dispute.
Do not sign away any of your rights
The comp insurer may offer a quick settlement or send you to its own doctor, so get all your treatment documented, keep copies of everything, and give no recorded statement about your future benefits.
Call a lawyer before you sign forms
Benefits get cut off, claims get denied, and third-party recoveries get missed, so before you accept a settlement or let a hard deadline pass, a free review secures your benefits and your options now.
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Talk to a Charlestown workers compensation lawyer before you settle
If you were hurt on the job in Charlestown, you are entitled to medical care and wage benefits no matter whose fault it was, and a serious injury may open an additional claim that pays even more. Talk with our team, or with our Boston personal injury attorney office, for a free and private review of your benefits and any third-party claim, and let us handle the insurer while you focus on getting better.
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Larson Law helps injured people and families across Massachusetts after a serious accident. If you were hurt by someone else’s carelessness in Boston, we are ready to listen and explain your options at no cost.
Charlestown workers compensation questions, answered
Do I have to prove my employer was at fault?
No. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, so you only have to show that you were injured in the course of your work, not that your employer did anything wrong. In exchange, you generally cannot sue your employer for the injury, though a claim against a responsible third party may still be available.
What benefits does workers comp pay?
Comp pays your reasonable medical treatment and a portion of your lost wages, sixty percent of your average weekly wage while you are totally unable to work, and partial benefits if you can work but earn less. Lasting injuries can bring additional compensation. Comp does not pay for pain and suffering.
The insurer says my injury is not work-related. What can I do?
This is one of the most common disputes. Establishing that the injury arose out of and in the course of your work, with a prompt injury report and clear medical evidence, is the heart of the claim. A lawyer builds that proof and answers the insurer’s doctor when the connection is challenged.
Can I recover more than workers comp pays?
Sometimes, yes. If a party other than your employer, a subcontractor, a negligent driver, or the maker of defective equipment, caused your injury, you can bring a separate third-party claim for full damages, including pain and suffering, while still receiving comp. That claim is often where the real value of a serious injury lies.
How long do I have to file a workers comp claim?
You should report the injury as soon as possible, and a claim generally must be filed within four years of when you became aware that your disability was connected to your work. Waiting can cost you the claim, so reporting promptly and getting advice early protects your rights.
The insurer cut off my benefits. Is that allowed?
Insurers often terminate or reduce benefits before a worker has recovered, but that does not make it correct. You can challenge a wrongful termination through the Department of Industrial Accidents, and a lawyer can present the medical evidence that shows you are still unable to work or earn your former wage.
What if I can work but not at my old job or pay?
You may be entitled to partial-incapacity benefits equal to sixty percent of the difference between your old wage and what you can now earn, within statutory limits. Insurers often argue you can earn more than you really can, so proving your true post-injury earning capacity is important.
The insurer offered a lump-sum settlement. Should I take it?
Be careful. A lump-sum settlement closes your comp claim for good, including future medical benefits, and an early offer rarely reflects the full course of a serious injury. A free review of the offer against your future treatment and lost earnings shows whether it is anywhere near fair before you sign.
I was hurt on a construction site. Do I have extra options?
Often, yes. Construction injuries frequently involve general contractors, subcontractors, or equipment makers whose negligence created the hazard, opening a third-party claim in addition to comp. Identifying every responsible party on a busy job site can substantially increase the total recovery.
Do I need a lawyer for a workers comp claim?
For a serious or disputed injury, it helps a great deal. Denied claims, terminated benefits, insurer doctors, and missed third-party recoveries are common, and the system is more adversarial than it appears. Your own advocate secures the benefits, builds the proof, and pursues every additional recovery while you focus on healing.
What is my work injury claim worth?
It depends on the severity and permanence of the injury, your wages, and whether a third party is responsible. A fair picture accounts for medical care, wage benefits, permanent-injury compensation, and, where available, full third-party damages including pain and suffering. A career-ending injury can carry very substantial value.
What does hiring you cost?
Nothing upfront. These cases are handled on a contingency fee, so you owe no attorney fee unless we recover for you, and the first consultation is free. That lets you secure your benefits and pursue every additional recovery without any financial risk of your own.
Results Disclaimer: Past case results, settlements, and verdicts mentioned on this website do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case. Every case is unique and depends on its own facts and legal issues.