If you have recently been hurt or have fallen ill due to work-related circumstances, bills related to your condition are likely piling up. If you’re starting to panic about paying medical bills while simultaneously losing income while you recover, know that you may be eligible to receive at least one kind of compensation.
The law protects the rights of workers in a variety of ways. When eligible employees suffer work-related harm, they can apply for workers’ compensation benefits. When faulty equipment, distracted motorists, exposure to toxic substances and other dangerous work-related circumstances result in harm, workers are often empowered to seek personal injury damages in civil court. And under certain circumstances, workers may be entitled to an insurance settlement per the terms of an auto, home or commercial building policy.
Are you entitled to compensation?
Before you can pursue any compensation to which you may be rightfully entitled, you’ll need to carefully consider the nuances of your situation. The law is complex and doesn’t apply to every situation in the exact same way.
Workers are generally entitled to workers’ compensation coverage if they are classified as full-time or part-time employees. As workers’ comp isn’t usually a fault-based system, you’ll only need to prove that your harm was work-related and that you weren’t intentionally trying to get hurt to receive benefits if you’re covered.
By contrast, personal injury damages are only awarded to workers who have been harmed due to another’s negligence, recklessness, or intentionally dangerous conduct. And insurance settlements are offered to those whose circumstances meet policy requirements.
By understanding your rights to compensation under the law, you’ll be empowered to pursue the maximum amount that you’re rightfully owed. Making this effort is almost certainly worth your time, as it doesn’t make sense for you to shoulder the costs of your harm if paying for those costs is a burden that rightfully belongs to another individual and/or entity.