The workers’ compensation unit at Burger Law cares deeply about the workers that it protects. In part, this is because
we have an understanding of how the workers’ compensation system fits in with the history of labor relations in the
United States.

Historically, workers’ compensation arose as a means to address abuses by employers who used evasive litigation tactics
to deny workers’ justice. That practice continues into the present day.
In this article, the author discusses the history of
the workers’ compensation system in the United States. In the early 1900’s, labor movement radicals such as Upton
Sinclair (famous for being the author of The Jungle) succeeded in arousing the sympathies of the general public to
workers that were being mistreated.

Often times, workers were injured on the job and then unable to recover anything because employers would use the delay
tactics in the civil litigation process to slow their ability to recover. Because workers’ couldn’t afford attorneys,
there was usually nothing they could do.

To address that sympathy and prevent general strikes, employers made a compromise, allowing workers’ to recover
compensation for their injuries without having to prove fault. In return, workers waived their right to recover for pain
and suffering damages.

Although the workers’ compensation system tries to bridge this gap, I still often see employers acting like they are
from the early 1900s and using delay tactics to prevent proper recovery. Addressing these tactics is one of the reasons
you need an experienced workers’ compensation attorney like at Burger Law.

Gary Burger

Founder | Injury Attorney
Gary Burger has dedicated his career to standing up against bullies. The founder and principal attorney of Burger Law | St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer has helped hundreds of Missouri and Illinois individuals and families recover th …
Years of experience: 30 years
Location: St. Louis, MO

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