Getting injured on the job can happen to anyone — even if you don’t do physically demanding work. As an employer, you have the responsibility to provide workers comp insurance to your employees. You also have the right to it as an employee.
Do you know what counts under your workers comp program? What type of injuries and what settlement or benefits will you or your employee receive? We’ll explore those answers below.
Workers Comp Insurance Coverage
There are three different services that workers comp covers. Initial and ongoing medical treatment for the injury, any rehabilitation needed, and payouts for disability status.
Medical Treatment
When you or your employee gets injured and goes to the doctor or emergency room, on the forms there will be an option to bill their worker’s insurance.
It is important, as an employer, that you make your insurance program obvious so that they know to check that box.
Hospitals or doctors offices will send these forms straight to your insurance provider or to your place of business for you to send on. Some states require that your insurance is posted in a clear and obvious place in your business. Depending on what type of insurance you have, the company may have posters available for you with all the necessary information.
Billable services include ambulance rides (if needed), the cost for being seen by a doctor, and whatever treatment or medication follows the doctor’s assessment.
Sometimes, the doctor has to recommend physical therapy or rehabilitation to ensure full functioning of the injured area. These visits are expected to be covered by workers comp insurance as well.
Disability
Hopefully, needing to file disability status on the behalf of an employee is something you never have to do. If you find yourself in this situation, here is the process you’ll need to follow.
There are four types of disability when it comes to workplace injury insurance. Total permanent disability is just what it sounds like. It’s when a person’s injury has rendered them unable to ever complete their job duties again.
Partial total disability would be when your employee has injuries that completely keep them from doing their job until they heal. You will need a doctor to announce which type of disability they advise.
Temporary partial disability is when you or your employee is unable to do specific job functions for the time being, but will be able to go back to the way things were before the injury when they heal.
Permanent partial disability is the same as the one above, only there are some functions in the job description that you/your employee will never be able to do again.
Death
If the absolute worst were to happen, the employee is responsible for the cost of the funeral service. If you work in a highly dangerous industry, there may be a dependent support clause in case of death in your coverage.
No one wants anything bad to happen to their employees.
But ask yourself: would you be prepared if it did?