The question of what to do if you get hurt at work can seem to be very complicated or scary for many people. Getting hurt on the job can not only impact you physically, but can cause increased stress as you think, “How am I supposed to make money now?” or, “How am I supposed to support my family?” This is where worker’s compensation comes in, helping to diminish the anxieties you may have over finances for you and your family.
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
- Many people wonder just what exactly workers’ compensation is. In its simplest terms, workers’ compensation is a kind of insurance. Workers’ compensation allows individuals to receive financial compensation if they have sustained an injury while on the job. Workers’ compensation is especially crucial in areas of work that demand physical labor where the risk of injury is more likely than that of an office setting.
- An important aspect of workers’ compensation is that in order to obtain workers’ compensation, an employee generally has to waive their right to sue their employer for any “negligence” that may have led to the injury.
- In the event of an injury so extreme it results in the death of an employee, workers’ compensation can pay financial benefits to any dependents of the deceased.
There are some stipulations attached with acquiring workers’ compensation. Some workers’ compensation payments revolve around the individual’s ability to find work, at least in a partial manner. For example, if an employee loses an arm in an accident at work, they technically can still work as a fraction of a fully able employee. This can determine how much an individual receives for their workers’ compensation payments.
In order to ensure that individuals injured on the job receive sufficient workers’ compensation, Workers Compensation Laws have been established. These laws strive to make sure that the individual receives enough benefits to help them get through the struggles that may follow after sustaining severe injuries or disabilities from their work. An average worker receiving disability benefits generally are paid between 50% to 70% of their regular wages.
It is never too early to talk to your employer about workers’ compensation, especially for jobs that are dangerous and physically demanding. If you get hurt at work, the last thing you would want to be worrying about would be panicking about a lack of workers’ compensation. Talk to your employer about how much their workers’ compensation covers financially, along with any other benefits that you would be eligible for if you get hurt at work. In this case, it’s much better to be safe than sorry.