Workers’ Compensation

If you become ill, are injured, or die while in your place of employment, you or your family may be entitled to workers’ compensation.  Workers’ compensation claims can be filed for a wide range of work-related issues, such as repetitive motion stress injuries, psychological stress issues, or lung conditions made worse by the air quality where you work.  The major caveat is that the illness or injury must have occurred while “in the course of employment.”  This means that injuries which occur while traveling to or from your work location would not be included.

If you are injured on the job, your first priority should be to obtain immediate medical care.  You are then required to inform your employer of your injury as soon as you possibly can.  The amount of time you have to legally do this varies as widely as days to years, depending on the state you live in.  From there, your employer may ask you to fill out some forms, which they will submit to their insurance carrier.  Depending on the state, you may be required to submit separate paperwork with a state workers’ compensation agency.  Again, the amount of time you have to file varies by state.

If your employer does not dispute your claim, you will be contacted by an insurance adjuster with information on submitting your medical bills for payment and covering your loss of wages, if applicable.  However, if your employer does dispute your claim, you would need to gather as much documentation as possible and appeal the rejection of your claim with your state workers’ compensation board.   While it is advisable to consult with an attorney anytime you have a workers’ compensation claim, it becomes especially important to get in touch with one should your claim be denied? You will want someone who knows the laws applicable to your case inside and out who can advocate on your behalf, and make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.