Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are some of the most catastrophic injuries that a person can suffer. This fact is only compounded if a TBI occurred as a result of another’s negligent or reckless behavior. Do not let your TBI go without receiving compensation from the responsible party. Contact the legal professionals at Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP to help protect your interests and obtain the compensation you deserve. Our experienced legal team has the knowledge and expertise to achieve justice for your injury.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than 5.3 million people in the U.S. are suffering from lifelong disabilities caused by traumatic brain injury. In each of these cases, the person who is suffering from the injury will have a drastically altered life that is filled with frequent medical appointments, possible reduced mobility and quality of life. If you have been involved in an accident or medical incident that has led to a TBI, there are actions you can take to ensure that you are compensated for your injury.
Here are some common incidents in which TBIs typically occur:
- Car Accidents — A large percentage of traumatic brain injuries come as a result of car crashes. High-impact accidents can often result in internal collisions of the brain and the skull, which can cause traumatic brain injuries. If you were injured in car accident that was the fault of a negligent or reckless person, contact the traumatic brain injury attorneys at Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP.
- Falls — An alarmingly large number of TBI cases are a direct result of falls. These incidents, too, can be caused by someone else’s negligent or reckless behavior. Businesses could not properly warn you of a wet floor or properly clear their walkways of snow and ice leading to a fall. If this applies to you, contact the traumatic brain injury attorneys at Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP.
- Assaults — Personal violent attacks also account for a number of traumatic brain injuries. If you have been assaulted, you can hold your attacker liable for the injury you have suffered. Contact the traumatic brain injury attorneys at Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP.
If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of another’s behavior, we can pursue litigation so that you can received compensation for the following:
- Medical Bills — The medical procedures that follow a severe injury are expensive. If you were injured as a result of another party’s negligence, you can receive compensation for your medical bills.
- Future Medical Care — With a substantial, severe injury like a TBI, your expenses likely will not end with initial treatment. You will often need further rehabilitation and medical care. You can receive compensation for the future expenses.
- Lost Wages and Earning Ability — After such a dramatic injury, your life likely will no longer be the same. This includes your ability to earn a living. We will seek compensation for current lost wages as well as your diminished ability to earn a living following the injury.
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If you are injured as a result of another’s negligence, then you should understand your options for pursuing compensation. Our dedicated, professional legal staff can help answer any questions about TBIs or other personal injuries. The Columbus traumatic brain injury attorneys with Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP are skilled and experienced in helping clients.
What Is the Minimum Wage in Ohio in 2019?
On Jan. 1. 2019, the minimum wage for most workers in Ohio rose to $8.55/hour, which totals $342 for 40 hours before taxes. Employees who do not receive at least that much have the legal right to sue their employer for violating a law called the Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA. This is true even for the majority of people who work on commission or who take temp positions that require reporting for work.
The FLSA does allow restaurants, bars, and similar businesses to pay tipped employees a lower minimum wage. At the time this posted, the minimum wage for tipped employees in Ohio was $4.30/hour.
Provisions of the FLSA and a similar Ohio state law do, however, require employers to make sure their tipped employees earn at least the standard minimum wage. Complying with those rules requires businesses to document that the hourly wage they pay plus the tips employees receive total at least $8.55/hour for each hour worked up to 40 hours.
Every business is required to inform employees of their right to receive the minimum wage and what that wage is. State regulators actually distribute wage posters that employers are encouraged to post in places where workers can easily see the information.
What Happens When Employers Do Not Pay the Minimum Wage in Ohio?
The five FLSA wage attorneys who work out of the Columbus, Ohio, offices of Barkan Meizlish DeRose Cox, LLP, often find themselves representing hourly and tipped employees whose employers engage in wage theft. This illegal pay practice can take many forms, with two of the most-common being denying overtime and miscalculating tip credits.
The FLSA requires employers to pay nearly every minimum-wage employee time-and-half for each hour worked in excess of 40 hours during a 7-day period. In Ohio during 2019, the minimum overtime rate is $12.83. Tipped employees who go into overtime must also earn that time-and-half rate when their tips are properly accounted.
Restaurants, bars, and the like play many games when it comes to tips. Some tell workers that they are only legally entitled to earn up to the standard minimum wage. Others require workers to pool all tips and to accept whatever their manager determine their share is. Still others simply take away tips without returning any of the money.
Workers who notice that they are being paid less than the minimum wage should raise the issue with their managers. Honest mistakes do get made, and good employers quickly correct errors to make workers whole. When illegal pay practices persist, notifying the state attorney general’s office and contacting an FLSA wage and overtime attorney makes sense.
We have offices in Columbus, Cleveland and Marietta to serve workers all across Ohio. We offer free consultations and work hard to put together class action and collective lawsuits to ensure that each employee who was denied the minimum wage or failed to receive earned overtime receives the money the law requires an employer to pay. To speak with an experienced employment law attorney, call (614) 221-4221 or connect with us online.