Workers compensation is there for employees who are on the job. While many people think that workers compensation solely deals with making sure they are compensated from a financial standpoint, the program also offers other benefits, such as retraining. There is a lot to know about workers comp, so reading the rest of this article will help you to become better informed.
Knowing whether you are covered by workers comp
It isn't always easy to determine if you are going to be covered by workers comp. There are normally two things that will let you know that you are more than likely qualified to receive workers comp. One thing is that you must be an actual employee of the company. Independent contractors are not true employees. Another thing is that you must have been hurt at work and in a way that is not considered to be your own fault.
You don't need to be on the property in order to be eligible to receive workers comp if you are hurt. If you are on the clock and doing a work-related errand or job that has taken you off the property and you are injured, then you would still be eligible as long as you meet other criteria like the incident not being your fault, such as an incident that happened due to you being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Knowing how long workers comp lasts
While many people falsely believe their workers comp automatically ends when they go back to work, this is not true. An employee can continue to get workers comp while working as long as the amount of their pay does not meet or exceed what they are receiving on workers comp. In order to go back to work, you need to be able to physically do your job, or there has to be a light-duty program set up for you. You cannot do a job that is going to cause greater injury to yourself.
States have their own stipulations regarding how long someone can stay on workers comp. The lengths of time generally fall somewhere between three to seven years. However, there are some states that will end a person's weekly payments once that person turns 65.
Conclusion
When injured at work, a person should consider consulting a workers comp attorney in order to navigate the paperwork, process, and deadlines in a way that ensures success at getting their workers comp.
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