What Workplace Injuries are Eligible for Workers’ Compensation?

If you are injured on the job or develop an occupational illness, chances are you will be eligible for workers’ compensation. As long as the injuries occurred within the scope of your job duties, you should have a valid reason for making use of your workers’ comp benefits in the state of Ohio. If you are unsure if your workplace injury will be covered, a workplace injury attorney may be able to help you understand Ohio’s workers’ compensation laws and work with you to build your case.

Being injured on the job can take a huge toll on your physical, emotional and financial well-being, Workers’ compensation is intended to minimize the damage these injuries cause to you and your household by providing funds for both medical care and the wages you lose while you recover.

If you were injured on the job, you should inform your employer right away and find a list of approved workers’ comp doctors for your plan. These approved physicians can diagnose your injuries and help you get the claim process started.

Failing to act right away may put your health at risk and jeopardize your workplace injury claim.

Common Workplace Injuries

Ohio workers who have strenuous or hazardous jobs are typically more at risk of sustaining a workplace injury, but the reality is that workplace hazards are present in almost every job. Implementing safety programs and protocols can help minimize the number of employee injuries, but some types of injuries, like repetitive motion injuries, simply cannot always be avoided.

Some of the most common workplace injuries occur because of:

• Repetitive motions
• Slips, trips and falls
• Machinery and equipment accidents (being struck, caught or compressed)
• Overexertion and muscle strains
• Crashes or collisions
• Harmful substances or environments
• Falling objects
• Fires or explosions
• Harassment or violence (done by another employee or customer)

What Is Workers’ Compensation?

Workers’ compensation is a type of social insurance a business will purchase to protect themselves from civil lawsuits. Workers’ comp is mandated by the state of Ohio to provide medical coverage and wage benefits to workers who are injured or become ill on the job. It provides Ohio workers with money to cover medical expenses, rehabilitation costs and lost wages if they are hurt at work. In tragic cases where employees are killed on the job, workers’ comp will pay death benefits to surviving families.

In the state of Ohio, the law requires employers (state-funded or self-insuring) to obtain workers’ compensation insurance for all employees. This protects Ohio workers from out-of-pocket medical expenses and lost wages when they are unable to perform their job duties because of a workplace injury.

How Do You Qualify for Workers’ Compensation?

If you get hurt at work, report your injury to your employer and seek medical care right away. Depending on the severity of your injury, you will either need to go to the emergency room or visit an approved doctor. Ohio’s Bureau of Workers’ Compensation has a page on their website for looking up medical specialists approved by your provider. This step is crucial to your health and aids in your recovery, but it also supports your workers’ compensation claim.

Typically, there is a time limit on when you can seek medical attention after a workplace injury. If you wait too long, you run the risk of your workers’ comp claim being denied. Scheduling a consultation with a workers’ compensation lawyer can help keep you on track to ensure your approved to receive the workers’ compensation benefits you’re rightfully owed.

Are There Any Injuries Not Covered by Workers’ Compensation?

To qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, you must prove the relationship between your medical condition or injury and your job or line of work. While quite a few injuries are covered by workers’ compensation insurance, the ones that aren’t covered often occur outside the scope of your employment.

Injuries that are often not covered by workers’ compensation benefits tend to happen when an employee:

• Disregards company policies or safety procedures
• Engages in unlawful activities
• Shows up to work intoxicated or under the influence of drugs
• Intentionally harms oneself or another employee
• Was off the clock when the injury occurred

Injured on the Job? Consult with a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Ohio

Your job is your livelihood. When your health is at risk after a workplace injury, the last thing you should have to worry about is medical coverage and managing your finances.

Our workplace injury attorneys at the Buckeye Law Group Inc. will negotiate on your behalf and represent you if your workers’ compensation claim is denied.

Visit one of our six Ohio offices or schedule a free consultation today by calling 1-800-411-PAIN.