Posted in Wisconsin Workers Compensation Related News
Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Workers’ compensation is sometimes called workers’ comp, and it provides employees with benefits should they get sick or injured from a work-related incident. While we tend to think of labor-intensive jobs like construction and manufacturing for workers’ compensation, most states require businesses that have employees to have workers’ compensation insurance. Therefore, even injuries such as carpal tunnel may be covered under workers’ comp.
Besides immediate and future medical bills, workers’ compensation can cover many areas. We’ll explore the different areas that might be covered under your workers’ compensation insurance.
A Quick Overview of What Workers’ Compensation Covers
If a worker is injured or gets sick due to a work-related incident, workers’ compensation may cover:
- Immediate and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Ongoing costs of care
- Funeral expenses in the case of wrongful death
However, there are some cases where these benefits aren’t available to an employee:
- If they were intoxicated when the incident occurred
- They were “horseplaying,” i.e., engaging in behavior that violated proper work safety guidelines.
- The incident or sickness happened outside the workplace
- The incident happened due to a fight between employees
- An employee intentionally hurt themselves
Sometimes a workplace may try to deny workers’ compensation even when they’re entitled to it. You’ll want to contact a Glendale workers’ compensation lawyer when this happens.
Medical Expenses
Workers’ compensation can cover a wide range of medical expenses such as:
- Trips to the emergency rooms
- Ambulance rides
- Surgeries
- Prescriptions or drugs
Lost Wages
Lost wages are also covered under workers’ compensation and can help employees recover missing income if their injury or sickness leaves them unable to work. For example, if an injury leaves a worker unable to work for a month, workers’ compensation will cover at least some of their missing wages during that time.
Ongoing Care
Not all injuries and sicknesses are made equal, and some conditions will require ongoing care. For example, a broken back might require several chiropractic sessions or physical therapy to fix, or sickness may require ongoing prescriptions. Under workers’ compensation, ongoing care expenses are covered.
Wrongful Death Costs
Unfortunately, some work-related injuries or sicknesses can lead to wrongful death. Under workers’ compensation, a family can be compensated. Some wrongful death costs might include:
- Medical expenses a patient received while they were still alive—for example, medical care administered while in an emergency room before their passing away.
- Death benefits to a victim’s family members, including burial fees and a percentage of lost wages either indefinitely or for a set period of time.
- Funeral expenses—funerals can be expensive and take a great financial toll on a victim’s family. Workers’ compensation can cover part or all of funeral expenses.
How a Glendale Workers Compensation Lawyer Can Help
Facing a work-related injury or sickness is stressful and might require litigation. Besides a workplace or boss unwilling to provide the necessary compensation you deserve, you may simply want to discuss your options. Additionally, cases such as sicknesses due to a workplace’s harmful fumes can be harder to prove. Our team at Hickey & Turim, SC has a team of Glendale workers’ compensation lawyers ready to assist.
