What to Do If You Are Injured On-the-Job

Report the Injury to Your Employer

If it's possible, report your injury in writing and keep a copy of that report for your personal  records.

File Your Workers' Compensation Claim as Soon as Possible

If your injury entitles you to workers' compensation benefits, file your claim as soon as you can. Waiting to file could lead to problems or delays in receiving your benefits. Reporting your injury and filing your claim quickly is the best way to make sure that you start receiving benefits quickly.

If Your Claim Is Disputed

If there is a dispute regarding your claim, you can contact your state's workers' compensation commissioner's office. You may also want to contact a lawyer experienced in the workers' compensation system.

Conclusion of General Information about Workers' Compensation

The workers' compensation system is designed to provide a simple and direct way for employees who are injured at work of because of their jobs to receive compensation for their injuries. Workers' compensation laws vary from state to state. Each state has its own requirements for the procedure to receive these benefits. An experienced workers' compensation lawyer can assist you in navigating these procedural requirements and can help you obtain the benefits to which you are entitled.

Employer Obligations

The workers' compensation system provides compensation for employees who were injured at work or suffered an illness because of their job. If the injury is great enough to result in death, workers' compensation benefits are paid to the employee's surviving spouse and children or other dependants.

In most states, employers are required to purchase workers' compensation insurance from an insurance company. In some states, large companies are allowed to self-insure, or act as their own insurance company. Small companies, those with fewer than three or four employees, may not be required to have workers' compensation insurance. When an employee is injured and files a workers' compensation claim, this claim is then filed with the insurance company, or with the self-insuring employer, who pays the workers' compensation benefits. These benefits may include medical and disability compensation, depending on your state.

Unless an employer falls within a specific exception (such as the exception for small companies), the employer without workers' compensation insurance may be fined and they may be subject to civil and criminal liability.

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DISCLAIMER: The information you obtain at our firm web site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. It is recommended that you should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.

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