Workers’ Compensation Law 1910

Workers’ Compensation Law 1910

Workers’ Compensation Law 1910
Charles Evans Hughes as governor of New York.
Workers’ Compensation Law 1910

A Brief History of Workers’ Compensation Laws

You have the right to choose a workers’ compensation attorney in Baltimore regardless of the circumstances surrounding your job injuries. Your workers’ compensation attorney will fight for your right to get adequate medical care and benefits if the injuries that led to your claim are serious enough to permanently affect your lifestyle or capacity to work.

It’s a good idea to familiarize familiar with the regulations and history surrounding the workers’ compensation program before filing a claim.

Adoption in the United States

Germany is responsible for the existing workers’ compensation regime in the United States. In 1884, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck introduced the first modern workers’ compensation legislation, known as Sickness and Accident Laws.

Workers’ compensation systems were established in the United States in the 1910s, marking a watershed moment in the country’s economic, legal, and political history. Workers’ compensation laws spread fast across the country, with just six states refusing to participate by 1921.

Alteration of previous system

Prior to the adoption of workers’ compensation legislation, injured workers had to prove employer fault in order to collect medical bills, lost income, and other damages. It was usually a long, expensive, and unpredictable procedure, especially because workers were not represented by a workers’ compensation attorney. Employers frequently invoked contributory negligence as a defense, preventing workers from recovering damages if they were involved in the accident in any way. In some cases, an employer may be able to effectively use the assumption of risk defense to limit the injured worker’s ability to recover compensation.

Creation of state program

Because workers’ compensation is a state-run insurance scheme, injured workers should seek legal advice from a workers’ compensation attorney in their state. In the early 1900s, the United States had virtually few social programs. Furthermore, the federal government saw social insurance and welfare as a governmental responsibility. The first time a government program was discussed was in 1908, and it was solely among federal employees. A wave of measures aiming at lowering employer expenses swept the country in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

 

SEE ALSO:

The Social Security Act (1935);

The Fair Labor Standards Act (1938);

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (1970).

 

SOURCES:

Workers’ Compensation Law 1910

The Law Book: From Hammurabi to the International Criminal Court, 250 Milestones in the History of Law (Sterling Milestones) Hardcover – Illustrated, 22 Oct. 2015, English edition by Michael H. Roffer (Autor)