Applying for workers’ compensation may be a difficult task. Workers’ compensation laws differ between states, and navigating the system while seeking medical aid adds to the difficulty. Furthermore, various fallacies concerning workers’ compensation might deter people from seeking the benefits they deserve. To learn more, consult a legal professional today.
Here are some of the most common myths regarding workers’ comp.
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If I caused the harm, it is not covered.
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault insurance program. You have a claim even if you caused the accident. Your injury or sickness must be directly related to your job to qualify for workers’ compensation payments. For example, you are eligible for workers’ compensation payments if you suffer a back injury from accidentally driving a vehicle into a warehouse shelf. However, if you are wounded due to your negligence, such as driving a vehicle into a wall while high on drugs, the insurance company will contest your claim.
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My boss will always have my back.
Many employees, especially those with long-standing relationships, may believe that their firm will assist them in the event of an incident. However, this is not always the case. The firm’s risk management department is already investigating the claim, and the insurers are attempting to cut their losses by limiting the employees’ payouts.
This is because of the fact that insurers, not employees, control the future. Regardless of the employer’s worry, they have no power over the employee’s situation since they have no control over the issue. As a result, understanding the employer’s participation in processing work injury claims is crucial.
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My claim will be automatically approved.
Except for federal government employees, maritime and offshore workers, and railway workers, workers’ compensation is a legal system that provides medical care and lost earnings for injuries. It includes all work-related accidents, injuries, and diseases.
Workers’ compensation is awarded on a no-fault basis, meaning injured workers do not have to establish that someone else was at blame.
However, certain measures must be performed to guarantee that a claim is authorized, such as filing the claim appropriately and reporting a work injury to the employer within a set date, depending on the state. A single blunder might ruin the entire claim.
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Only injuries sustained on my job site are covered.
You are covered no matter where you are if you are doing your work and getting paid. Workers’ compensation benefits are available for injuries sustained while doing job responsibilities during working hours.
For example, you are eligible for workers’ compensation payments if you run business-related errands and get into a car accident. Injuries sustained while on a work trip out of state are also eligible. In most states, injuries sustained while commuting to or from employment do not qualify under the “coming and going” criterion. Qualifications for remote workers vary by state as well.
