Harris Firm founder shares workers’ compensation advice for injured employees

New York workers’ compensation attorney Richard T. Harris says small mistakes in the first hours after a workplace injury can make or break a claim. He is urging employees to report injuries quickly, seek proper medical care, and avoid dealing with insurers alone.

Why it matters: - Harris says workers often lose benefits or face delays because they misunderstand New York’s workers’ compensation process. - Early reporting, prompt treatment, and proper documentation can affect medical care, wage replacement, and claim outcomes. - The advice is especially relevant for undocumented and off-the-books workers, who may face extra barriers after an injury.

What happened: - Richard T. Harris, founder of Harris Firm, LLC, marked more than 30 years representing injured workers in New York. - Harris shared his key lessons from thousands of workers’ compensation cases in New York City. - Harris urged employees to act quickly after a workplace injury and to get legal help before speaking with insurance representatives.

The details: - Harris said workers’ compensation is a legal and insurance system with strict deadlines, documentation requirements and procedural rules. - Harris said the first few hours and days after an injury can have a major effect on the case. - Common mistakes include waiting to report an injury, delaying medical care, assuming a witness equals a legal report, seeing doctors unfamiliar with workers’ compensation, and giving recorded statements to adjusters without counsel. - Harris said an injury that starts as a sore back, twisted knee or hand injury can become more serious over time. - Harris advises injured workers to notify a supervisor in writing, seek treatment from a physician experienced in workers’ compensation cases and avoid insurance conversations before consulting an attorney. - Harris said insurance companies have attorneys protecting their interests from day one. - Harris said workers’ compensation benefits are generally available whether a worker has been employed for five minutes or fifty years, and whether the worker is documented or undocumented, if the injury happened during employment. - Workers paid entirely off the books can face added obstacles proving an employment relationship existed. - Harris said immigrant workers often hold physically demanding jobs in construction, landscaping, restaurants and other industries. - Harris said many of those workers fear reporting injuries because they worry about losing their jobs or facing immigration-related consequences. - Harris called for stronger enforcement against employers who misclassify workers or pay them off the books to avoid legal responsibilities. - Harris said clients often come in injured, unable to work, worried about bills and unsure what comes next. - Harris said Harris Firm, LLC has built a multilingual team to communicate with clients in their native languages. - Harris said the firm’s referrals from former clients remain one of its strongest sources of new business. - Harris Firm, LLC offers a complimentary consultation for people injured on the job or with questions about New York workers’ compensation rights.

Between the lines: - Harris is using the release to frame workers’ compensation as a timing-sensitive process, not just a paperwork exercise. - The emphasis on undocumented and off-the-books workers points to a broader workplace safety and access problem in lower-wage industries. - The multilingual team and referral base suggest the firm is positioning itself around trust, communication and repeat client advocacy, not just case handling.

What's next: - Harris wants more workers to seek legal guidance immediately after an injury rather than waiting until a claim has already been weakened. - Harris says better employer safety practices and faster reporting can reduce disputes and improve recovery. - Harris Firm, LLC is available for injured workers seeking help understanding their options and pursuing available benefits.

The bottom line: - Harris’s message is simple: report fast, document everything and get legal help early, or risk losing benefits that workers’ compensation is meant to protect.