Remember This About Workers’ Compensation

If you are injured while doing work in the US, you can receive treatment and even have a part of your wages replaced after you are injured in an accident that is work-related or when you become ill. This is possible through the workers’ compensation option. Both the employees and the employer have responsibilities thanks to this.

The Basics

According to Richard Harris, one of the highly respected traffic accident attorneys, at its basis, workers’ compensation is an insurance program. It guarantees that the employee is compensated for the injuries and illnesses that appear while being on the job. The state mandates the program and every single state has some different rules in regards to when the insurance needs to be acquired.

The employee will benefit from this program because he/she will receive medical care after suffering from an illness or injury related to work. The injured employee receives a part of the wages when not being able to work so that treatment can be gained for the illness or injury. Rates of compensation are also established by the states.

Employees That Are Covered

In every state, there are unique parameters that apply in regards to when employers need to get the insurance. In some, there is a minimum of employees necessary while in others, every business needs this.

Some industries can be excluded from the coverage. As an example, the state can exclude domestic workers, seasonal workers, and agricultural workers from being covered. When these individuals end up injured as they do their job, claims have to be filled through other channels since workers’ compensation does not apply. Also, independent contractors tend to be excluded.

What Injuries Are Covered?

Once again, differences between states do apply. However, what should be mentioned is that the injury does not necessarily need to be caused by just one incident. For instance, illnesses that appear due to a continued exposure to some chemicals or repetitive stress injuries can become triggers for the workers’ compensation claim.

To be covered, you do not necessarily need to be covered by the programs. For instance, when you complete a task because the employer requested it and you end up injured, the injuries are still covered by workers’ compensation. However, when you just drive to work and you end up in a car accident, you are usually not covered.

Final Thoughts

To keep things simple, workers’ compensation is put in place to help the employee and the employer but when you are injured at work, it is very easy to be overwhelmed. What is very important is to get help. You want to discuss all your options with your attorney since this will help you to make smart choices that will impact the success of the entire claim.

Contrary to popular belief, with workers’ compensation, you do not even have to prove that the employer did something wrong. If the insurance policy is in place, you are covered. And all you need to do is to file a claim. The process is often complicated but it can also be very simple if you trust the attorney to represent you and handle everything on your behalf. Believe it or not, this is the best thing you could do.