Workers’ Compensation 101: What You Need to Know 

When you dress up for work, getting into a workplace accident is the last thing on your mind. Even if you work in high-risk environments, such as construction and mining, you still don’t prepare for the worst.

Unfortunately, workplace accidents do happen. In 2018, there were 2.8 million accidents in private workplaces across the country.

So, what happens when you get injured at work? You’ll typically get emergency treatment and then file for workers’ compensation. If you’ve never been through this, you probably don’t know how workers’ comp works.

Worry not, though. We’re here to help.

Continue reading to learn about the ins and outs of workers’ compensation.

What Is Workers’ Compensation?

Although workers’ compensation laws vary from state to state, the vast majority require employers to purchase a minimum amount of worker’s compensation insurance. In the event that an employee is injured on the job, the employer won’t worry about paying for the victim’s healthcare expenses, loss of income, and other related costs. It’s the insurance company that will take care of these bills, as long as they don’t exceed the maximum coverage.

That being said, workers’ compensation isn’t an automatic policy. There are instances where an insurance company can reject a compensation claim.

For instance, if you were injured while doing an activity that isn’t in your job description or you weren’t wearing the right protective gear as required by your employer, there’s a chance your compensation claim will be thwarted.

The Workers’ Compensation Process

Now that you know the basics of workers’ compensation insurance, let’s focus on how a typical process looks like.

Victim Gets Treatment

After a worker has sustained a workplace injury, the first step is to get treatment. Although the victim can choose to go to a specific doctor or health facility, in most cases they will go to the insurance company’s workers’ compensation doctors.

These doctors are specialists in treating workplace injuries. They’ll also write a report detailing the patient’s injuries, the type of treatment they will undergo, and how long they’ll stay out of work.

Insurance companies use this report to determine, among other things, whether the patient’s injuries are within the terms of coverage.  

Employer Makes Injury Report

As the victim is getting treatment, the employer will create a record of the injury. This fleshes out what happened.

In some instances, it’s the injured worker’s responsibility to report the injury to their supervisor or relevant department in the organization.

Victim Files a Workers’ Compensation Claim

After getting treatment, the injured employee has a right to file for compensation through their employer. In most cases, the employer will provide the necessary assistance the employee needs. This includes help in filling out the paperwork and determining the right amount to request as compensation.

In other cases, especially where the employer isn’t cooperating, the worker can hire a worker’s compensation lawyer for specialized help.

Workers’ Compensation: Good for Employers and Employees

For employers, workers’ compensation is a way to take care of employees when they’re injured. For employees, this insurance policy guarantees you financial compensation in the event that you’re injured. What’s more, you now know how it works.

Stay tuned to our blog for more workplace insights.