What is Workers Compensation?

Workers Compensation, in essence, is insurance that is provided to employees to protect them if they get injured or become ill on the job, irrespective of whether they are at fault for the accident or injury. In addition, workers compensation is insurance that provides cash benefits for medical care and for time lost from work for workers who are injured or become ill on the job.

The only caveat to this is, if on the job injury was caused solely by intoxication from drugs or alcohol or where the person intentionally injures him or herself at work, Workers Compensation will not protect.

The purpose of the coverage is to protect employees who are injured on the job and help them return to gainful employment as soon as possible after an injury or illness.

Who needs to know this?

 Let’s say, for example, you are a construction worker working on a construction project and you are injured on the job or site, you are entitled to workers compensation to cover all your medical treatment related to the injury(ies), and also to pay for your lost wages for the length of time that you are out of work.

Let’s say you are working in an office and you slip and fall because of a spill or a slippery condition at work and suffer injury, you are also entitled to workers compensation.

When you file your worker’s compensation claim, you are entitled to receive coverage for your medical treatment and two-thirds of your average weekly wage up to the maximum amount of $1,063.05 per week.

The employers pay for the worker’s compensation insurance and they don’t require that the employee contributes to the cost of the insurance. 

What do you need to know?

It’s important to know that you generally have two years from the date of your on the job accident or knowledge of your injury/sickness to file your claim with the Workers Compensation Board.

You must, however, within 30 days of your on the job accident/injury/sickness, notify your employer of your injury or sickness and doing so in writing is the safest way, whether that be via text or email.

Three things you should immediately do after suffering an on the job injury.

1. Notify your employer (ideally in writing so you have proof at a later date)
2. Request that your employer notify the Workers Compensation Carrier
3. Seek medical attention
4. Contact a Workers Compensation Lawyer

If you’ve been injured in an accident at work, on a construction site, in an office or have contracted an illness as a result of the work that you’ve been doing, you need to consult a workers compensation attorney. Call the Law Offices of Darren T Moore P.C for a free consultation.

Do you need a personal injury lawyer? Do not wait! Contact us at (917) 809-7014 or info@injurylawatty.com

For more information on this please visit the Workers Compensation website www.wcb.ny.gov