People often discuss workers’ compensation in terms of accidents. “Jenny is claiming workers’ comp after a forklift crushed her foot.” Or “Randy relied on it for the six months he took to recover from his ladder fall.”
Yet an employee does not necessarily need to have an accident to claim workers’ comp.
Illnesses can warrant it
Workers get ill all the time. Some may just require the person to take a couple of sick days, but others can be much more serious, leaving them unable to work for months. If you can show your illness is work-related, you may be entitled to worker’s comp. Examples could include a nurse who picked up a contagious disease from a patient, or a chemical worker who suffers respiratory problems due to exposure to toxic substances.
Repetitive strain injuries can do so, too
Many jobs can take a serious long-term toll on the body. Examples could range from an office worker suffering wrist pain due to long-term keyboard use to a landscaper with back pain after years of moving rocks or a tennis coach who has shoulder pain after years of showing others how to serve.
Whatever the injury or illness keeping you from working, the key to being able to claim workers’ compensation is proving it is work-related. If the tennis coach only coached five hours a week but spent another fifteen hours each week playing of their own accord, their employer’s insurer might claim the injury has more to do with their free time than work. If the landscaper had recently taken a nasty fall while skateboarding, the insurer might claim the back pain is down to that rather than years of moving rocks.
Claiming workers’ compensation benefits can be complex, so it is wise to get legal guidance if you feel you have a claim.
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