Worker's compensation insurance is meant to keep hurt workers from taking legal action against their employers for a work-related injury. In most cases, workers are covered for typical accidents but many workers may not seek help when they should. For an overview of what types of coverage hurt workers can expect, read on.
Worker's Compensation Coverage
- Injuries that occur on company property during a worker's normal working hours. Examples include falling on the factory floor and back injuries from driving a forklift.
- Illnesses that occur as a result of working conditions, work tasks or as a result of work. Some examples include toxic substance exposure and carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Emotional injuries that occur as a result of being exposed to a traumatic event at work. Examples include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from witnessing a bank robbery in the bank where you work as a teller.
- Injuries that occur away from the physical plant but that were work-related. For example, a worker who is attending off-site training who gets hurt while at the training center would be covered as long as the training was a job requirement.
- Injuries that occur as a result of random workplace violence.
- Injuries that occur in motor vehicle accidents while operating or riding in a company vehicle. Examples of that include accidents while commuting to and from work as well as during the performance of work duties.
- Injuries that occur off-site or off-hours but where the workers are present as an expectation of their supervisor. For example, many workplaces have company picnics where awards for employee performance are handed out. Employees are strongly encouraged and expected to attend the picnic. Injuries occurring at that picnic could be covered under worker's compensation insurance.
- Injuries or illnesses that are the result of a preexisting condition. You must be able to prove that your preexisting condition was worsened by work-related factors. For example, if you have high blood pressure as a preexisting condition, you may gain coverage if you can prove that the stressful nature of the job worsened the high blood pressure to the point that you had a stroke or a heart attack.
Not Covered by Worker's Compensation Insurance
The following situations are not usually covered:
- Self-inflicted injuries.
- Workplace violence that was personal in nature. In other words, you were the target of the violence for reasons that had nothing to do with your job.
- Injuries that occurred when the worker is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Injuries that occurred while committing an illegal act.
If you are encountering problems with your claim, speak to a worker's compensation law firm, like Hart Law Offices, PC, for help.
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