Workers’ compensation benefits limit the risk inherent in employment. Every job comes with certain safety concerns, and professionals should not have to worry about completely losing the ability to support themselves because of their employment.
In cases where workers sustain injuries or develop illnesses because of their jobs, workers’ compensation can help them pay their bills and afford medical treatment. Workers’ compensation provides disability benefits to replace lost income and also medical benefits to cover the cost of treatment. Those benefits can take the financial pressure off of those with work-acquired medical issues.
Some professionals believe they do not qualify for benefits, possibly because they made mistakes that contributed to their injuries. Do workers have to worry about employers blaming them for on-the-job incidents and denying their workers’ compensation claims?
Fault has minimal bearing on benefits
It only takes a momentary lapse in judgment or a split second of distraction for workers to end up hurt on the job. Those who operate heavy machinery, drive vehicles or even cook for a living can end up seriously hurt due to minor professional errors.
If workers’ compensation did not protect professionals from self-inflicted injuries, many people might shy away from high-risk professions. Thankfully, injured employees have access to no-fault coverage. It does not matter who caused their injury. An employee qualifies for the same benefits regardless of whether they made a mistake, their coworker was negligent or their employer failed to do something necessary for worker safety.
Employers and their insurance providers typically cannot deny employees workers’ compensation coverage simply by claiming they were at fault for their injuries. Only in the rarest of scenarios does worker fault have any bearing on their eligibility for workers’ compensation coverage.
If a worker fails a drug or alcohol test after getting hurt and their employer can show that their injury was the result of their impairment, then they may be ineligible for workers’ compensation benefits. In cases where employers can credibly assert that a worker hurt themselves on purpose, then that could also potentially affect their eligibility for benefits. Barring those unusual and extreme circumstances, employee fault and employer fault do not influence eligibility for workers’ compensation coverage.
Of course, there are some employers who may try to make questionable allegations against their workers to avoid financial responsibility. Employees anticipating a contested workers’ compensation claim may want to secure support as soon as possible after their injury or diagnosis. Having legal assistance may help an injured employee navigate the workers’ compensation claims process and optimize the benefits that they receive.