If you have suffered a work related injury, your employer is required by law to pay you a portion of your regular wages as you recover. But, you might not be covered under workers’ compensation laws and in some cases, you might be able to sue your employer for gross safety violations at your work place.
You might also be able to file a lawsuit if your employer does not carry enough workers’ compensation insurance, they intentionally caused you harm, or a third party caused your injuries. A third party in this case could be a manufacturer whose defective equipment caused you harm while at the workplace.
Can You Prove Your Injury is Work Related?
You have to be able to prove that your injury happened while you were at work doing work-related activities. Keep in mind that the work related injury does not necessarily need to happen on work premises in order for you to be compensated. You can also get compensated if your injury occurred outside work premises. For example, if the injury occurred while you were at a work related party, you were running errands for your employer or while you were performing any other work-related activity that directly benefits your employer, you deserve to get compensation.
Below are some of the scenarios you should first consider before filing a workers’ compensation claim:
- Did your injury occur while you were on a break? If you took a break outside the company premises then you might not be eligible or workers’ compensation unless the reason you had to step outside the work premises involves your employer.
- Did your injury occur because you were drunk while you were at a company sponsored event or a work related event that offered alcoholic drinks as part of the menu? You may still be considered for workers compensation because technically you were still working.
- Did you have a prior injury or a condition that worsened because of your work related activities? Then you are entitled to workers’ compensation.
- If your job resulted in a mental condition then you can file for a workers’ compensation claim.
Find Out What to Do if You Were Injured While Working from Home
Workplace Injury Compensation Coverage
Only certain types of workers are eligible for workers’ compensation. If you live in Providence, RI, area, the Department of Labor and Training classifies an employee as someone who has entered into a contract with an employer or anyone employed by the State of Rhode Island. People who aren’t covered by workers’ compensation include:
- Farm laborers
- Nursery workers
- Sales persons
- Real estate brokers
- Persons employed by the State of Rhode Island
What if You Aren’t Eligible for Workers’ Compensation?
The good news is that if you are not eligible for workers’ compensation, you can still get compensated for your injuries. In such situations, it’s important to consult a highly skilled work related injury lawyer near you.
Simply because you are not eligible for workers’ compensation doesn’t absolve your employer from their responsibility for your job related injury. There are other alternatives to workers’ compensation and they include:
Consider getting your case evaluated by a lawyer for work related injuries and they will be able to help you get the compensation that you deserve.
Find out When You Should Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Get Your Case Evaluated Today at our Firm
Symptoms of your injuries or illness that’s as a result of your work related injury may take years to show. Work related injury cases are not always straightforward because it’s not always easy to determine whether an injury is work related.
The first thing you should do if you suffer an injury at work is seek medical attention and then contacting a work related injury attorney near you. If you live in Providence, RI, you can get in touch with our workers’ compensation lawyers and we will review your claim.
We can help you get compensation for your ongoing medical treatment and for lost wages among other benefits. When you bring your case to us, we will analyze three things:
- Can we help you file a suit for an intentional tort? An intentional tort is whereby your employer purposely caused you physical and or emotional harm while at work.
- Can we help you file a suit against a third party? If you believe you were harmed by someone other than your employer then you have an option to sue them.
- You were denied or your workers’ comp benefits were terminated
We can help you figure out the next steps in your case. Call us today at 401-751-0101 to schedule your free initial consultation.
