Workers’ Compensation insurance in the United States is a good option to protect workers without large investments or expenses from employers. The compensation system avoids expenses for lawsuits and ensures rapid rehabilitation of employees.
What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Workers’ compensation insurance in the USA is a protection for them in case of workplace accidents or accidents. The laws of each state protect workers indicating the responsibility of companies in these cases.
Workers’ compensation insurance operates without the need to prove who was at fault for the accident, so they are faster in their coverage and also protect the company by avoiding defense costs.
What Does Workers’ Compensation Insurance Cover in the USA?
What these insurances protect is:
- Medical expenses for the care and rehabilitation of workers due to an accident at work or work-related illness. These include medications, studies and everything necessary for the worker to recover and return to their activities.
- Compensation for occupational injury or work accident that prevents work, which is a percentage of the worker’s normal salary. You can apply, depending on the state, after 3, 7 or up to 14 days of disability.
- Partial compensation for those whose injury or accident allows them to work fewer hours.
- Compensation to the worker’s beneficiaries in the event of death as a result of injury or illness.
- Compensation for permanent partial disability.
- Compensation for total and permanent disability that prevents you from working anywhere.
- Funeral expenses in case of death.
- Retraining the worker to find another job. It depends on the contracted insurer.
- Support for your relocation or return to work. This coverage also depends on the contracted insurer.
The coverages and sums insured may vary in the different states and insurers.
Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance Required?
It is a mandatory requirement in most states, however, some require it only when there are 3 or more workers while in others it is from 1.
Regardless of the requirements, the insurance offers benefits for any company or business that has personnel, by preventing the large amounts that would have to be paid in the event of labor claims. By having workers’ compensation insurance and care being provided due to accident or illness, it does not apply for employees to sue the company.
Steps to Follow to Start a Claim
The first thing is to notify the employer so that it does everything that corresponds to the insurer to act. This varies depending on whether the insurer itself has a care network or whether it only covers expenses.
In the event that the problem is serious or urgent to attend to, medical help can be sought anywhere initially. Subsequently, legal forms must be filled out on the claim.
Who to Go to If the Rights of the Worker are not Being Respected?
In case of any controversy, there are government offices that are responsible for any matter related to these insurances, generally known as the Workers’ Compensation Administration (WCA). You can also go to the NAIC, especially if the dispute is with the insurer.
Read More: How can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help You in Your Legal Case
