Workers’ Compensation - What it Means to You
Employees. When a person is injured or disabled on the job, they can expect to be provided appropriate monetary benefits.
Employers. Employers are protected from liability lawsuits, which also avoids being exposed to any uncertain damage awards during a lawsuit.
Co-Workers. Fellow employees are protected from any liability for an accident or injury on the job.
Workers’ Dependents. In the case that an employee is critically disabled or killed due to a work-related injury or illness, workers’ compensation laws provide certain benefits to the employee’s dependents or immediate family.
How is an Employee Covered? All company employees, with very limited exceptions, are covered by workers’ compensation labor laws. Independent contractors, however, are often excluded, as they are not considered official employees of the company. An employee is automatically covered by this policy the first day they start a job. There is no need to enroll and no waiting period before any coverage kicks in. How does Workers’ Compensation Work? Whenever an employee is injured on the job, it is very important to report the accident as soon as possible to a supervisor. If a worker is injured on the job and does not report the incident within 30 days of its’ occurrence, they are at risk for losing potential workers’ compensation benefits. If a worker requires medical treatment for an injury on the job, their employer must allow them to seek prompt medical treatment. Do I need a lawyer? Although it is generally not necessary to hire a lawyer in simple workers’ compensation cases, there are still many cases where having a specialized workers’ compensation lawyer in Oklahoma can make the process much more clear and effective. In general, the more problems a case encounters, the more it may need legal representation.