I know a guy who was in your exact position. He, Pete, got injured on the job, was collecting workers comp until he was "laid off due to lack of work."
A lawyer got involved and it went to civil court. The business owner painted himself into a corner and Pete ended up receiving a substantial settlement because of it.
Well, I hate that for Pete. I hate it for anyone to get stuck in a bad position. These are tough economic times and a lot of people are still struggling to get back on their feet from the past. Thank you for the information though, it will prove very useful.