Workers’ comp, or compensation, is a certain type of insurance that is put in place across the United States to cover employees in case of injury or death in the workplace. It is intended to keep any employee safe no matter the jobs that they perform, and it provides assistance to employees to have medical costs covered in case of injury. If the employee does happen to die from the injury, death benefits will be given to the family. There is so much more to know about workers’ comp though, including the five pieces of information that are found below.
Laws Differ
Though workers’ compensation insurance is found in most states, each state is able to define exactly what the benefits will look like, meaning the laws in each state are different. You may receive a completely different benefit at a job in Texas, for instance, than you would receive in the state of New York.
Each state does have a board in place that monitors the benefits that you can receive, however, whose goal is to ensure that you receive the best benefit possible. In the states that do have workers’ comp, employers are required to offer this type of insurance to you, which is the only thing that is the same across states.
Workers’ Compensation is for Every Employee
No matter the size of the company that you work for, you will be covered by workers’ compensation. This is the same no matter the level of employee that you are at your business. More specifically, this means that whether you are the janitor or the CEO of the company, you will be eligible for this type of benefit if your state offers it. Even part-time and contract employees are eligible to receive these benefits when they become injured while on the job.
Workers’ Compensation is Technically Liability Insurance
Employers are protected from potential lawsuits from you as the employee when there is a workers’ compensation policy that is in place. If workers’ compensation did not exist, the only way you could have medical costs covered is by filing a claim in court. This is not to say that there would never be a lawsuit against a company for a medical injury, however, but in many cases, it does provide some relief to companies. This is different from when this benefit first came to be, however, as employees had to sign off on their rights to sue.
File a Claim Even if You Have Fault
The main requirement for filing a workers’ compensation claim is that you had to be injured while you were performing the essential functions of your job. Even if you may be partially at fault for the injury, you still have the right to file a claim. If you were under the influence of a substance, including alcohol, however, this may impact your chances of eligibility. So long as there are no substances involved, you should try to file a claim if you were injured while at work.
Some Injuries Happen Away from the Job
Sometimes, you are able to file a claim with workers’ comp if you were not at the actual business location. States do differ on this rule, however, so be sure to check with your local government. The way that you could file a claim away for an injury away from the office, however, is if you were performing your job duties. An example of this would be if you were a lineman who was injured while working on an electric pole or if you were a real estate agent injured while driving your vehicle to a home tour.
Workers’ compensation claims are a powerful tool that you have at your disposal, especially if you work a dangerous job. You can have your medical costs covered if your claim is approved so long as you were injured due to work. If you are facing difficulties with your claim, contact a Seattle workers’ compensation attorney. He or she can help you get the benefits you deserve due to the injury that you have received while you were doing your due diligence to work your best on the job.
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