Employees who become ill or injured at work are eligible for workers’ compensation insurance benefits, often known as workman’s comp. This includes payments made to beneficiaries in the event of disability, unemployment, or death. Work-related injuries are all too common, with 7.85% of all first reports of injury occurring in Orange County.
It is crucial to get help calculating the compensation to ensure that it covers all your losses. Workers who get hurt or sick while working and don’t have workers’ compensation can sue to recover compensation for their medical bills and lost income. Here are some benefits you can get through a worker’s compensation program.
Treatment Costs
The main reason for getting workers’ compensation is to acquire damages that will help you settle medical expenses. If one of your workers suffers a sickness or injury on the job, workers’ compensation insurance can assist in paying for the accumulated costs while they are sick. This may involve trips to the ER, a laboratory, surgery, consultation fee, or medication.
Cost for Injury Recurrence
In exceptional circumstances, when a worker is injured, the extent of the injury can be life-long. Some injuries sustained are not always the result of something drastic happening. It may take months or even years for repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome to manifest.
A good example is a receptionist developing carpal tunnel syndrome after years of bad ergonomics at the keyboard. The receptionist should receive damages from workers’ compensation to assist in medical care and rehabilitation.
Unpaid Wages
If an employee suffers an injury or illness while on work-related assignments, workers’ compensation can assist in making up for some of their missed wages while recuperating.
Example: A chef in a hotel injures themself by burning their hand while working. They can’t work, so they will need time off to recuperate. This is where workers’ compensation helps by making up for the salary loss.
Illness
Some companies deal with toxic substances; in some instances, employees are exposed to dangerous chemicals, leading to illnesses. If your worker contracts a disease due to a work-related condition, the workers’ compensation program ensures the treatment costs are covered.
Regular Checkups
In certain cases, workers may require several therapy sessions for diseases or injuries sustained on the job. Workers’ compensation insurance, for instance, can assist in covering expenses like physical therapy for someone who strains their back while carrying large boxes in the storage facility.
Burial Expenses
Suppose your employee succumbs to the injuries while on a work-related assignment; the beneficiaries will receive money to help them cater for the funeral expenses. Worker’s compensation program ensures the worker is given a decent sendoff by covering the funeral costs.
However, it is essential to note that the worker’s benefits are only available for employees injured while working for the company. Workers who injure themselves while outside of work or intentionally cause harm are not eligible for compensation.
Conclusion
Workers’ compensation insurance is mandatory for all companies with employees in most states. The standards vary from state to state, so you’ll need to check the laws of the company’s jurisdiction to discover if workers’ compensation insurance is mandatory. You should acquire insurance from a legitimate provider or, better yet, engage the services of a workers’ compensation advocate.
