If you have been injured at work, you may be wondering whether your injuries would qualify for workers’ compensation. If so, a Los Angeles workers’ compensation lawyer can help you make sense of your situation since there is no definitive answer as to what type of work injuries qualify for workers’ compensation. Yet, most injuries seem to fall within what a workers’ compensation claim would cover and fortunately for you, most employers are required by law to carry this type of insurance to provide coverage for those employees who are injured or become ill at work.
What Does Workers’ Compensation Cover?
A workers’ comp claim will cover the medical expenses that are related to your injury or illness. These may range from medical care that you must receive urgently, to ongoing medical care. Additionally, you may get benefits to cover lost wages now and, in the future, if you are unable to return to work for some time. Benefits may also cover vocational rehabilitation, allowing you to find employment taking your physical limitations into account. Find out if you need to see an approved healthcare provider for your medical bills to be covered and whether you may submit out-of-pocket expenses for reimbursement.
How Is a Compensable Injury Defined?
For an injury to be eligible to receive compensation, it must be either a physical one or any impairment that will limit your ability to carry out the tasks for which you were hired. This impairment can result in benefits that would be available to you for a partial or even a total disability. Receiving these benefits on a weekly basis means that you are being compensated for the wages you are not receiving.
Keep in mind that you must be defined as an employee to qualify for workers’ compensation. This means that freelancers, volunteers, or independent contractors would not be covered.
What Are the Most Typical Workplace Injuries Covered by Workers’ Comp?
There are many injuries covered by workers’ compensation but the most common ones tend to be:
- Injuries from falls
- Injuries from sharp objects
- Muscle tears, strains, or sprains
- Bone fractures
- Slip and falls
- Injury due to exposure to hazardous materials
What Injuries Are Not Covered?
If an employee is intoxicated or if they are trying to hurt themselves or their co-workers, the resulting injuries will likely not be covered. Also not covered are injuries that happen when the employee is commuting to and from work.
Must The Injury Occur Within My Place of Employment?
In general, your work-related injury or illness is expected to occur while you are at your place of employment. However, there are other considerations that may apply such as when an employee gets injured while driving a company vehicle or when they get injured while at the company’s cafeteria. Other examples may be when an employee gets injured at a company-sponsored event or when you experience anxiety or depression because of the stress of the job.