Worker's compensation laws require most employers to purchase worker's compensation insurance for their employees. If the worker is injured in the course of doing his job, he may see a doctor at the employer's expense and get cash benefits if he cannot work for a period of time due to the injury. Workers may get benefits for injuries sustained elsewhere if they were performing job duties at the time, although injuries sustained while driving to or from work do not usually qualify.
Avoiding Accidents
To avoid injuries in the workplace, never operate equipment unless you know exactly use it. Ask a supervisor for help if you are unsure use equipment, and pay close attention to what you are doing. Many workplace accidents can be avoided by watching where you are going -- i.e., not walking on wet floors. To avoid occupational injuries, you should practice good posture when sitting, bend at the knees when lifting heavy objects and not lift items that feel too heavy to you.
Reporting Injuries
Always report any work-related injury to your supervisor immediately following the incident. You must do this to qualify for worker's compensation benefits, including the right to see a doctor at your employer's expense to receive treatment for your injuries. If you are not able to report the injury prior to seeking medical care, contact your employer or have someone contact her on your behalf as soon as possible.
Supervisor Records
Supervisors must keep records of injury reports and of all the time that employees take off due to injury. If an employee is entitled to worker's compensation benefits or short-term disability, the amount of time he takes off due to work-related injuries impacts his benefit amounts. Supervisors may place workers on medical leave or require them to use their sick days until their application for benefits is approved.
No-Fault Insurance
Most states have no-fault worker's compensation programs in place to cover employees if they get hurt on the job. No-fault policies do not assign blame to either the worker or the supervisor; the worker gets benefits if she is injured regardless of who is at fault for the accident. Workers cannot sue their supervisors or employers for personal injury if they accept worker's compensation benefits for an injury.
