Many jobs come with risks of injury, depending on the work required. Whether these injuries are from physical labors such as construction or landscaping, or they come from an office environment that may cause repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, all work-related injuries should be covered by a workers’ compensation plan.
Workers compensation, sometimes referred to as workman’s comp, is basically an insurance plan through the state government that provides financial help after a work-related injury. It protects both employers and employees in an understood agreement.
The injured worker will receive money to cover medical bills and lost wages due to inability to work. In return, the employer is protected against any lawsuits from its employees. In most cases, the victim must sign-off on any right to sue in order to receive the workers compensation benefits.
Typical workers compensation benefits will apply no matter who is at fault. The injuries could happen due to employer negligence, an employee’s own mistake, or even interference from a customer. As long as the injury happened at the work place, it should be covered by the company’s workers’ compensation plan.
The most common injuries resulting in workers’ compensation payouts include back pain, breathing problems, fractures, disfigurement, hip and knee injuries, loss of limb, and others. The compensation benefits will cover your medical expenses for your initial injury, as well as for any ongoing care related to your workplace mishap.
If your injuries cause persistent pain or damage that prevents you from getting back to work, you will also be entitled to compensation for loss of wages. You will need to supply medical proof of your inability to work in order to receive those payments. Just remember, if you are collecting workers’ compensation benefits for lost wages, you cannot work anywhere else or you could be found guilty of fraud and theft.
If you are unsure whether or not you qualify to receive workers’ compensation benefits, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to review your case.
