Workers compensation insurance is mandatory for most employees, especially those who have undergone any work-related injury. This helps them to recover their lost wages as well as accommodations.
The kind of injury covered by insurance is related to their employment type. For instance, lung cancer caused by second-hand smoke at a restaurant or a sprained ankle caused by falling from a telephone pole and so forth.
In this article, we will let you know the types of injuries that are covered by workers compensation insurance.
Workers Compensation Injuries – What is covered by Insurance?
Before getting into the details, let’s first know what a work-related injury is:
A work-related injury is an injury caused while you were doing something on behalf of the company or in the course of your employment. Most of these injuries are common in the workplace, but it may also occur out of the company while you are doing something related to your job. For instance, any company party or a social event sponsored by the employer or a lunch meeting with a client outside the office can also be included in the insurance.
Moreover, a company-sponsored vacation or party at a bar is also covered under work-related injury. However, if you move out of the place with your boss or colleagues to get some air drinks outside, it wouldn’t be included in work-related as you stepped out of an official company event.
Furthermore, if any injury occurred during your lunch break in the company cafeteria, it will also be included in work-related. Injuries caused by alcohol in any work-sponsored event will also be covered under the insurance. Any mental breakdown, such as anxiety or depression caused by work, is also covered under the compensation norms. Also, any preexisting condition that has worsened during the time of employment can be covered.
If we talk about the other part of the story, often employees portray a well-concocted theory paying disregard to workplace safety rules to avail the insurance money. State laws and courts are stringent for action against such circumstances.
Are You an Employer?
If you are an employer, you will need to provide workers compensation insurance to workers classified as employees in your company, contrary to independent contractors. Idaho and Wyoming do not mandate covering undocumented workers, but Arizona, California, Texas, and other states include illegal immigrant workers in their workers compensation coverage.
So, the insurance coverage depends on the state you are in. Although most of the rules are varied yet some exemptions are listed below:
- Domestic workers including housekeepers, nannies, and babysitters
- Agricultural workers
- Seasonal workers
- Undocumented workers
What’s Next?
If you have experienced any work-related injury, you will receive the compensation claim rather easily in a prompt manner. However, the arguments about including your injury in workers comp injury still pertain. So, in this case, you will need an attorney to solve your case and get you the claim you deserve.
Are you looking for an expert attorney to handle your case? We at Patterson and Associates bring about the change you want. Right from understanding your situation to getting you the compensation claim, we are right here to serve you with the best. Get to know us here.