Q: I am a relatively new employee of Costco and believe I was injured because of the job; can I get compensation?
I am a relatively new employee. I started working about a month ago. That is around the time in which I began getting pain in my arms and strong numbness in my fingers. I waited a little bit to see if this was something that required me to get adjusted to or if it was temporary, but as I went to the doctor they said that I probably have some inflamed nerves. I do believe that Costco is the reason for this. It is to note that I was already injured on the job and had already gone through one of their file claims for it (I wasn't seeking anything because of that). Costco also never provided any formal training, nor did they go over any safety measures. everything was very rushed and they admitted that because they were short-staffed, but even as things began to slow down they never provided me with anything like that and I feel like that this would help me with some sort of compensation. It also seems like my injury is not really getting better with medicine, but I need to talk to my doc.
A: It's hard to say from what you described as to whether you have a solid WC case. The best thing to do is to report your experience to Costco and ask to be seen by a company authorized doctor. You have to get treatment through Costco, although there are exceptions. A lot depends upon the job that you were hired to perform and whether the duties can be connected to the work. Your own medical history is important also, for example-are you diabetic, etc. Good luck. If they won't send you to a doctor or you are not satisfied, speak with a WC lawyer. Also, fault is not an issue in workers comp; you can't sue your employer for negligence.
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