text: is it possible to sue a company for pain and suffering due to a work injury? my lawyer is telling me i cant !! i have  apending case, and it doesent seem like my lawyer is doing all that he can to help me!  he says that i cant sue for pain and suffering.  i want to know if thats true! i had surgery and the scars are hidious and ive gained wieght at least 30 pds since the inccident and my job ened up laying me off!! what should i do? workers' compensation laws are created entirely by the legislature, so what benefits you are entitled to receive depend on the laws in your state.  workers' comp is supposed to be a compromise that allows employers to have some limit on liability in exchange for worker protections in case of work injuries.  for example, if there were no workers' comp laws, an employer could simply avoid liability for work injuries by going out of business and leave the worker holding the bag for medical bills and lost wages.   in exchange for this protection for workers most states do not allow workers to sue the employer, other than for workers' comp benefits, except in very limited circumstances. (like intentional injuries or violations of certain safety requirements)  the law usually does provides for some type of award of compensation for permanent impairment.  in ohio, it's called a permanent partial disability award.  that gives you some award of compensation to account for permanent residuals of the allowed conditions in your claim.  there are also additional awards if you lose the use of a bodypart, such as an arm, leg or finger.  unfortunately, there is no specific award for pain and suffering.   good luck and best wishes for a full recovery.