| Workers Compensation |
| General Workers Compensation |
| Pre-Existing Conditions |
| Workers Compensation Benefits |
| Filing a Workers Compensation Claim |
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Individual states have designed their own workers' compensation system which provides replacement income and is responsible for paying medical expenses to treat work-related injuries or illnesses suffered by employees. Workers' compensation benefits may also be extended to the survivors of a worker who dies while performing his job.
In order for employers to pay for these benefits, employers in most, if not all, states are required by state Workers' Compensation statute to pay for their employees' insurance. The insurance can be paid through a state fund or a private insurer. As an employee, you do not need to shell out dollars for these benefits because employees are not required to pay for any counterpart on the insurance premiums. And virtually all workers, whether full-time, part-time or temporary, are covered by Workers' Compensation benefits.
The argument of the authors of the Workers' Compensation legislation is that if the cost of compulsory insurance is significant, employers will see an incentive to increase workers' safety programs which would then help reduce the incidence of work-related injuries. Big corporations may have stringent safety programs in the workplace, but they have not stopped the increase of industrial accidents. In fact, industrial accidents in the U.S. are estimated to cost manufacturers over $11 billion annually.
Since Workers' Compensation benefits are set by each state's Workers' Compensation Commission, the scope of coverage for benefits, therefore, varies widely among states, in terms of benefits payable for death and disabilities (total or partial) arising from specific injuries. Although there are many variations of these benefits among states, the costs of medical expenses for treating the worker’s injury or illness, and some portion of lost wages, are generally included in these benefits.
Keep in mind that your rights to the benefits are not affected by seniority, kind of injury, or work status. If you believe that you have been deprived of workers' compensation benefits that are due to you, contact your lawyer immediately.