When you’re involved in a workplace accident and acquire injuries as a result, you might assume that your employer has you covered under workers’ compensation. While most states require employers to have workers’ compensation insurance, it can be surprisingly difficult to secure the benefits you’re owed, as there’s a certain amount of evidence you need to prove your eligibility. Workers’ compensation covers certain benefits that can help you recuperate, and to secure them, having a lawyer on retainer to provide assistance could make all the difference.
Workers’ compensation provides coverage for:
- Medical expenses: This include the cost of immediate care, which can include ambulance rides or emergency room visits, as well as medications, hospital stays, surgical procedures, physical therapy, and more.
- Lost wages from missing work: A more serious injury can put an employee out of work for days, weeks, and sometimes months. Workers’ comp will pay for some of these wages lost while employees are recovering from their injury or illness.
- Compensation for fatal injuries: Workers’ comp will pay what’s known as death benefits to surviving family members if an accident ended in death, which includes funeral and burial expenses.
- Lawsuits related to work injuries: Workers’ comp protects employers from lawsuits that employees may file. Their insurance can help pay for attorney’s fees, settlements or judgments, and court costs.
What Workers’ Comp Doesn’t Cover
Workers’ compensation insurance doesn’t cover all work-related injuries. Injuries must be caused by an accident to qualify for coverage, or have developed over time.
Workers’ comp does not cover:
- Injuries caused by intoxication or drugs
- Injuries claimed after firing or layoff
- Wages for a replacement worker
- Injuries from company policy violations
- Independent contractor injuries
- Injuries suffered while the worker was committing a crime
While laws vary by state, workers that are typically ineligible from receiving workers’ compensation benefits for work-related injuries include farm workers, seasonal or casual workers, and domestic employees.
What to Prove to Achieve Workers’ Comp
You and your lawyer will need to prove that you were injured, and that your injuries took place while working, to qualify for workers’ comp. It’s important for you to collect as much evidence of your accident and injuries as possible immediately following your accident, or for your lawyer to conduct a through investigation.
Evidence that is helpful includes:
- Videos and photos of your injuries and the accident site
- Witness statements from anyone who saw the accident, including coworkers and managers
- Medical records
- Your written statement narrating the accident
- Expert testimony
Sometimes, employers offer injured workers a lump sum settlement after an accident to settle a claim. Though lump sum settlements can offer medical and lost wage benefits, it’s important to have a lawyer review the settlement before you agree to anything to ensure that you’re receiving what you need and deserve to recover.
Helping You Get Back on Your Feet After an Accident
The Law Offices of Anthony Urban, P.C. is committed to guiding individuals toward recovery after they’ve been injured in a work-related accident. Through our consultation, our workers’ compensation lawyers can better understand your situation and offer you next steps before you make any decisions. Navigating the workers’ comp system can be complex, and we want to help you file for benefits in a way that will ensure you can receive what you need to cover medical expenses and wages. We’re also available to provide legal counsel if you were offered a lump sum settlement.
Contact our workers’ compensation attorneys online or by phone at (888) 268-0023 if you’ve been injured in the workplace. The Law Offices of Anthony Urban, P.C. can help you ensure that you receive the amount of compensation you deserve after an accident.