What’s Covered By Workers’ Compensation Insurance And What’s Not?

Workers’ compensation insurance is a type of insurance that provides benefits to employees who become ill or injured on the job. Medical expenses, income replacement, and death benefits can all be covered by insurance.

In most states, workers’ compensation insurance is required, and employers are usually responsible for implementing the policy. Workers’ compensation insurance is a “no-fault” system, meaning that benefits are paid regardless of who caused the accident or injury.

This article will discuss what is covered by workers’ compensation insurance and what is not.

What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Workers’ compensation insurance provides benefits to employees who are injured or become ill because of their employment. Medical expenses, income replacement, and death benefits are examples of available benefits.

• Medical expenses
  Typically, workers’ compensation insurance will cover the cost of medical care for a work-related injury or illness. This may include hospitalization, prescription medications, physical therapy, and other medical expenses.
• Income replacement
  If you are unable to work due to a work-related injury or illness, workers’ compensation insurance typically provides benefits to replace a portion of your lost income. Your state’s laws and the severity of your illness or injury will determine the amount of income replacement benefits you receive.
• Death benefits
  Typically, if a worker dies from a work-related injury or illness, workers’ compensation insurance will provide death benefits to the worker’s surviving dependents.

What Is Covered in Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

For an injury or illness to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, it must be “work-related.” This generally implies that the injury or illness must have occurred while the employee was working and be a result of the employee’s employment.

Even if an injury or illness occurred outside the workplace, it may be considered “work-related.” For instance, an injury that occurred while an employee was off the clock but performing job-related duties (such as attending a seminar on job-related training) would typically be considered work-related.

What Is Not Covered Under Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Some injuries and illnesses are not covered by workers’ compensation. These include injuries that are self-inflicted or that occur while the employee is intoxicated. In addition, mental health conditions that are not caused by a physical injury are typically not covered.

Workers’ compensation is also not designed to cover injuries outside the workplace. For example, if you are injured in a car accident while on your way to work, your damages would not be covered by workers’ compensation.

In addition, some types of jobs are not covered by workers’ compensation insurance. These include jobs that are considered “dangerous” (such as jobs in the construction industry) and jobs that independent contractors perform.

Are Pre-Existing Injuries Covered Under Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

In general, workers’ compensation insurance does not cover pre-existing injuries. There are, however, exceptions to this rule.

For instance, if a pre-existing injury is aggravated or exacerbated by an employee’s job, workers’ compensation insurance may cover the treatment costs. In addition, if an employee is injured while performing a job-related task that they would not have been able to perform if they did not have a pre-existing injury, workers’ compensation insurance may cover the cost of their treatment.

Conclusion

In summary, workers’ compensation insurance covers a variety of injuries sustained on the job. However, workers’ compensation does not cover all types of injuries. If you have been injured on the job, you must discuss your case with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. At Oracle Law Firm, we are committed to defending the rights of injured workers. Contact us at (888) 547-1778 to arrange a complimentary consultation.