Workers' compensation is a benefit system designed to help workers who have become injured or sick due to their work conditions or environment.
A worker who becomes sick or injured as a result of their working environment and is approved for workers' comp benefits can generally expect to receive benefits covering a number of areas.
Below are some of the expenses and services workers' comp might cover if you suffer a workplace injury. Because each state operates its own workers' comp system with its own rules, the extent of coverage in your state might vary.
Unfortunately, workers' compensation is a system whose outcomes can be unfair to sick and injured workers, especially in certain states.
Some employers discourage workers from making claims for workers' compensation benefits, and many employers' insurance companies deny worker's comp claims as a matter of course.
It can be difficult to get the benefits you deserve: the insurance company may deny medical treatment (forcing you to pay out of pocket for doctor or emergency room visits).
In many cases, your employer-paid worker's comp doctor might refuse to give you an off-work order (denying you time off to recover while being paid temporary disability benefits) or admit that you should have work-related limitations (subjecting you to further injury or pain).
In other cases, your state's workers' comp rating system may deny that you have any permanent impairment resulting from your injury (denying you permanent disability benefits and cutting off future medical treatment).
Because the workers' comp system can be complicated, a seriously injured worker should consider hiring a workers' compensation attorney or lawyer to handle their claim.
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