Workers Compensation: How Does It Work?

According to Wikipedia, ”Workers compensation is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee’s right to sue their employer for the tort of negligence.”

Some laws support Worker’s compensation, these equate to form the worker’s compensation law.  Workers compensation law is a system of rules in every state designed to pay the expenses of employees who are harmed while performing job-related duties. Workers’ compensation laws protect people who are injured on the job. They are designed to ensure that employees who are injured or disabled on the job are provided with fixed monetary awards, eliminating the need for litigation. These laws also provide benefits for dependents of those workers who are killed because of work-related accidents or illnesses.

As an employee, you are covered under the Worker’s compensation from the first day you resume duty. You have the right to claim your compensation in any eventuality since the law requires any business with three or more workers, including regular part-time workers, to have Workers’ compensation insurance.

Workers compensation differs in different countries, though it serves the same purpose. It is necessary to understand the content of the Worker’s Compensation Act of your country. See some information about workers’ compensation in Nigeria, the United States, and Europe.

You may also be interested in this: 11 things a Nigerian should know about the Employees Compensation Act. Click here

Workers Compensation and How It Works

First, make sure you report any injury sustained in the course of the job to your employer immediately. If your injury or illness developed over time, report it as soon as you learn or believe it was caused by your job.

Prompt reporting helps prevent problems and delays in receiving medical care and benefits you may need. If your employer does not learn about your injury within 30 days and this prevents your employer from fully investigating the injury and how you were injured, you may lose your right to receive workers’ compensation benefits.

Get emergency treatment if you need it.

Depending on the organization, a claim form may be filled for you in the organization’s clinic or the organization’s approved clinic.  The form will be sent to the worker’s insurance carrier. It will be processed from there to give you compensation benefits. If you took an emergency treatment, your employer must be properly informed of the treatment taken on time.

If you are not paid your benefit, you could sue your employer.

If the compensation is delayed longer than necessary, you will require the services of an attorney who understands the Workers Compensation Act to file a suitable case for you in court.

How much will I be paid as compensation?

Benefit calculations can be incredibly difficult, but an attorney who understands the Workers’ Compensation Act can equally help you with the calculation.

Understanding your rights as a worker is very important so that your rights will not be infringed.

NOTE: The law requires any business with three or more workers, including regular part-time workers, to have Workers’ compensation insurance. You should find out from your employer if has a compensation carrier, if he doesn’t, advise him to do so.

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