Whether you work in an office, a restaurant, on a construction site, or in another setting, there is always the possibility that you could get hurt on the job. Your employer is required by law to have workers’ compensation for these circumstances.
This means that if you have a work-related injury or illness, your employer is legally required to provide benefits that pay for those injuries. You could be hurt from falling on your back, getting into a car accident while making deliveries, being exposed to toxins repeatedly while working, or suffering carpal tunnel syndrome from the repetitive motions you do all day. These are just a few examples of when you can claim your workers’ compensation benefits.
Hopefully, you will never need to use them, but they are present from the moment you are hired until you leave the company. Unlike your medical insurance that comes out of your pocket, workers’ comp is meant to cover your job-related injuries and a portion of your lost wages. You should know more about worker’s comp if you need to use it, especially if you’re in an industry that makes you more prone to injuries, such as construction.
What to Do If You Get Hurt While On The Job
You will need to report your injury immediately to your supervisor or manager. If you have an illness that developed over time, you will need to report it as soon as you find out it was caused by your employment.
Reporting the injury or illness right away prevents delays in getting the benefits you need. If you don’t report it as soon as possible, you risk the chance of losing your right to your workers’ comp benefits.
If the injury is serious or life-threatening, you must get emergency medical treatment. While your employer will have a list of doctors for you to choose from, if the situation is dire, you should go to the emergency room for treatment.
Your employer will give you a claim form to fill out and return to them. They will then file it so that it gets processed and you receive your benefits.
What Are the Benefits of Workers’ Comp?
With workers’ compensation benefits, you can get medical care that your employer covers to help you get the treatment you need for an injury or illness caused by your job. Depending on the type and severity of your injury, you could also get temporary disability benefits. These are payments for lost wages due to not being able to do your job as you recover.
You may be eligible for permanent disability benefits or supplemental job displacement benefits if you don’t recover completely. If a worker’s life is tragically cut short due to a work injury or illness, workers’ compensation will also make payments to the spouse, children, or other dependents.
If your employer doesn’t report the accident, your claims are denied, or your employer doesn’t have this coverage as required by law, you should contact an LA workers’ compensation lawyer.
