Although accidents can occur in any environment, they’re alarmingly common in workplaces across the U.S. Despite strict health and safety regulations, many workers still sustain serious injuries while carrying out their jobs. In fact, it’s estimated that someone sustains an injury at work every seven seconds in the U.S. With so many people getting hurt, it’s easy to see why workers’ compensation is necessary.
What is Workers’ Comp?
Workers’ compensation can be claimed following an accident in the workplace, regardless of who was at fault. By making a successful claim, workers can obtain compensation for their medical expenses and lost income. However, this doesn’t mean that workers’ compensation will necessarily cover the entire cost of your medical bills or replace the total amount of income you’ve lost. In many cases, people find that workers’ compensation only covers a percentage of the expenses they incur following a workplace injury.
Are You Eligible to Claim Workers’ Compensation?
If you were performing a work-related activity at the time of the injury, the work had been approved, or was within your regular hours and you were injured at a specific time, it’s likely that you’ll be eligible to claim workers’ compensation in Virginia.
You’ll notice that there are limitations on when workers’ comp can be obtained. You can’t usually claim workers’ comp for an injury that’s occurred over time, such as a repetitive strain injury, for example. Similarly, if you took it upon yourself to do work that was outside your remit or you committed some form of misconduct, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to obtain workers’ compensation.
Is It Easy to Obtain Workers’ Comp?
Employers are required to have insurance in place to cover workplace accidents and the entire workers’ comp system is designed to make sure employees have access to financial compensation after a workplace injury. This means that it should be relatively easy to obtain workers’ compensation.
In reality, however, it’s rarely straightforward. As insurance companies don’t want to part with cash unless they have to, they will typically argue that you’re not eligible to make a claim or that your own conduct bars you from obtaining compensation.
Furthermore, the procedural requirements to claim workers’ comp can be confusing. Even a simple error on your workers’ comp paperwork could result in your claim being delayed or denied.
Should You Use a Lawyer?
Due to the complexities associated with claiming workers’ compensation, many people choose to work with a personal injury lawyer in order to get the compensation they deserve. By consulting attorneys with extensive experience in this area of law, such as https://www.chasenboscolo.com/virginia/workers-compensation/, you can be sure that you’re getting the specialist advice and support you need.
No-one should be hurt while performing their job duties and they certainly shouldn’t have to suffer financial consequences due to an accident that was outside of their control. By seeking legal advice and making a claim for workers’ compensation, you can obtain the financial compensation you deserve, and you may even be able to persuade your employers to improve workplace safety in the process.
