Even if you haven't been injured on the job, it's important for you to do some basic homework just so you have a clear understanding of what may happen if you should get hurt while working, especially if you work at a job where you know there is an increased chance of injury. If you have been injured, then you definitely want to have a good understanding of the workers compensation process, so you know what to expect, what to do and what not to do. Here is some basic information about workers comp that you can start with:
Know the basic benefits of workers comp – Workers comp has some basic benefits and those include medical care which will be paid for by the employer. This way, you will get help recovering and getting proper treatment when you were hurt while working. Temporary disability is another benefit of workers comp that allows you to receive payment for your lost wages that were lost due to you being unable to work due to that injury. Another benefit includes hospital payments and the covering of medical expenses that you incurred for both diagnosis and treatment of your injury. In some cases, you may need to undergo retraining, so you will be able to go into another line of work if your injury has left you unable to do the same type of work and workers comp can also cover the cost of that retraining.
Know that you can still be fired – It is a common misconception that a person cannot be fired if they are currently on workers comp. The truth is, there are still many reasons why you can be fired, even while claiming workers comp. This is especially true if you are an at-will employee. However, there are some reasons that your employer can definitely NOT fire you for. They cannot fire you for starting a worker's comp claim. They can also NOT fire you for no longer being able to do certain aspects of your job that you are unable to do due to the workers comp injury you are suffering from.
You should have a worker's comp attorney – When you are involved in a workers comp case, you will go to a hearing where you and the employer will present your cases to a judge. The judge will make a determination on your case. It is a good idea for you to have a worker's comp lawyer to help you with the paperwork and to guide you through the process, as well as to represent you at any and all hearings.
Share12 May 2018
When I started my first small business, I had no idea how much I really didn’t know. I was fully prepared to deal with customers, sell product and even handle complaints and returns. What I wasn’t aware of was that there is so much more to it. I was lacking the legal expertise to protect the company and myself. I wanted others to benefit from my experience, mistakes and lessons learned, so I started this blog. From employment law to the legal business contracts you’ll have to sign when you form partnerships, business law is complex. I hope that the information here will help you to be better prepared when you start your business so that you’ll know when you need to call an attorney and when you can handle things yourself.
