There are many myths about workers’ comp, and they unfortunately lead to mistakes that can compromise someone’s ability to get the compensation that they deserve. Because workplace injuries are so common and can have such a detrimental impact on your financial future, it’s important that you do not fall for any of these myths.
For instance, some people will tell you that you are only eligible for workers’ comp if the injury or accident wasn’t your fault. If a machine malfunctioned or if a coworker caused your injury, then you can see compensation. But if you made a mistake – you slipped and fell, for instance – then the fault is your own, and you can’t get workers’ comp.
Rest assured that this is not true. It is a myth. But how does workers’ comp actually work?
Most workers are always covered
The idea behind workers’ comp is to simply give all employees comprehensive coverage so they know the bills will be covered if they get hurt on the job. This way, they don’t have to worry about doing a job that may be rather dangerous, such as working in construction or logging. If they are hurt for any reason, even if they clearly made a mistake themselves, they can still count on the workers’ comp insurance policy to pay for their medical bills, cover a portion of their wages and much more.
Why would businesses agree to this? The benefit for a business is simply that the employee doesn’t have to start a lawsuit and sue the business directly for all of those costs. Instead, the company avoids the legal proceedings and just buys an insurance policy upfront. There are still some situations in which third-party claims need to be made or something of this nature, but the employer themselves doesn’t have to worry about it.
What steps can you take?
If you were injured on the job, make sure that you don’t fall for any of these myths and that you know about all the legal steps to take to seek proper compensation.
