Baker Harris
is a highly experienced law firm when it comes to Pocatello workers comp claims. We’ve seen so many different situations and we know what the workman’s comp coverage looks like for an employee who is injured on the job. Thankfully, workman’s comp exists and is a crucial and necessary benefit to employees who are injured while performing work-related activities, but many employees and employers are confused about workers compensation does not cover.
First of all, let’s just understand that workman’s comp policies are an intended benefit to an employee, not an employer. The benefit will help injured employees by covering hospital visits, follow-up and medical treatment, rehabilitation, and other compensation that is necessary. Workman’s comp aides employers by taking the responsibility of the medical bills off the hands of the employer so that the employer can help their employee focus on recovering and getting back to work as quickly as he can.
Still, employers often have misunderstandings about Workers comp benefits, what they are for, who they are for, and what they are intended to do. Here are four things that employers are often confused about when it comes to workers comp benefits.
Worker’s comp is an insurance benefit intended to help the employee seek medical care and recover from an injury. Many employers believe that the workers comp benefit is something that is intended for them. Indirectly, this is true because the insurance does take financial responsibility off of the employer, but the financial benefit falls in the hands of the injured employee.
Workers comp benefits will not pay for any fines OSHA might send you way as a result of a work related injury. Don’t expect assitance for those types of fees.
While your employee is out recovering, employers might need to hire temporary assitance to keep production going. However, workers comp benefits will not cover the salary of a temporary employee. Paying someone to help out while your injured employee gets better is going to fall on you. BUT, workers comp could cover some of the salary of your injured employee while they are out.
Workers compensation policies are meant for the people who work for you, and no one else. If others are injured on your property, the injury becomes a personal injury case or might fall on the workers comp policy of another company. For example, if a UPS driver delivering a shipment to you is injured while dropping off a package to your facility, the injury will likely fall under that UPS drivers workers comp policy through his work. But, if a customer is injured while on your property – the claim could then be handled as a personal injury case and you would need to hire an attorney to help prove or disprove who was at fault. But neither of these situations would be covered by your workers comp insurance.
As an employer, you should understand what workers comp benefits do and don’t do. Make sure that your employees understand what it is for and what they are required to do to get workers comp benefits if they are injured on the job. If you need assistance, please talk to the experienced workers comp lawyers at Baker And Harris Law in Pocatello.
(208) 785-2310