Several years ago, his crimes landed him in the Roswell Corrections Center. Benavidez volunteered for an inmate-release program, which assigned him to work at Sierra Blanca Motors, an automobile dealership. While on the job, his supervisor told Benavidez to take down a garage door. In addition, Benavidez said his injuries totally disabled him for a time and left him permanently partially disabled. Workers' comp is a special kind of insurance, which provides benefits to employees injured on the job.
Benefits are limited to medical expenses and partial replacement of wages lost due to injury.
In comp cases, the worker gives up the right to sue the employer for such things as pain and suffering. However, comp law leaves the employer almost no defenses. The process is far quicker and less expensive than ordinary litigation. In Benavidez' case, however, Sierra Blanca thought it had a solid defense. As a prisoner, said the company, Benavidez couldn't form a contract of employment.