Injuries That Are Covered in Workers’ Compensation

If you were injured at work, you might not know where to turn next for help. Workers’ compensation is in place so that you can recover financially for the injuries that you got at work, regardless of who was at fault. You might be considering filing a workers’ comp claim to get compensation for your harm and damages that you suffered.

Before you do that, you should know what injuries are covered for workers’ comp and what injuries aren’t covered. Understanding your options will help you make the most informed decision possible. Having a workers’ compensation lawyer on your side can also ensure that you are making the right decision and can be confident in your claim.

Injuries That Workers’ Comp Covers

The main aspect that will determine whether or not your injury or illness is covered by workers’ compensation is that it was directly caused by your job, happened while you were on the job, or was related to your job and being exposed at your jobsite. This may seem obvious, but it’s very important that you can prove that what you’re suffering from occurred directly because of your work.

This could get complicated if the injury occurred over time or if you were working but not on the jobsite. If the injury was from your work, and you can prove that, then it’s likely covered by workers’ comp.

Something to note, though, is that workers’ comp does not require you to prove that someone else was at fault for what happened to you. Even if you were partially at fault for the injuries that you sustained, as long as you suffered them while you were working or from your job, then you are likely covered under workers’ compensation.

Here are some examples of injuries that would be covered in workers’ comp when they happen on the job:

• Occupational illnesses
• Heart attack or stroke from work conditions
• Overuse injuries from repetitive motions
• Hearing loss
• Stress-related injuries
• Physical trauma
• Stress from physical trauma
• Exposure to COVID-19
• Death from work injury or illness

You might think that you’re out of luck if you have a pre-existing condition before getting injured at work, but that’s not necessarily true. If you can prove that your condition worsened and you sustained injuries that aggravated that condition or previous injuries, then that could still qualify for workers’ comp.

As people worked through the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers were exposed to the virus while on the job. If it can be proven that you contracted COVID-19 while working, then you could qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.

Injuries That Workers’ Comp Doesn’t Cover

Now that you know what kinds of injuries that are covered by workers’ compensation, you should know what isn’t covered in a claim. Even though it’s mentioned above that you can still recover workers’ comp benefits if you were at fault for the accident, meaning if you were being careless on the job, that doesn’t mean you have complete impunity.

There are some instances when you’re injured on the job where you could still be liable, or it won’t be covered in a claim. According to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, you can’t recover workers’ comp if you:

• Were committing a crime when you were injured.
• Were violating company procedures and policies when you were injured.
• Self-inflicted your own injuries.

Self-inflicted injuries could be kind of confusing when you know that workers’ compensation doesn’t rely on you proving that your employer or a coworker was at fault. However, self-inflicted injuries happen completely of your own volition and are not accidental in any way. When the injury was intentional, it is not covered under workers’ comp.

Prince Law Firm Will Protect Your Workers’ Comp Rights

After you’ve been hurt at your job, you likely want to focus on healing and getting back on your feet after all of the bills. That’s where filing for workers’ comp can help you. With the help of a Marion, IL workers’ compensation lawyer, you’ll be able to recover financially from your accident and ensure you get what you deserve from your employer.

At Prince Law Firm, we’re dedicated to getting you the justice you deserve. You can count on us to answer all of your questions and make this process as smooth as possible. Reach out to our office today so we can get started working on your claim.