Construction work is no easy job. Workers sacrifice their time and risk their health to provide services. Becoming seriously hurt while on the job is a common issue for construction workers. Because of this, it is important for employees to know whether they are entitled to workers’ compensation.
Currently, there are high numbers of injuries and deaths at construction sites. In these cases, it is important to note what qualifies you for workers’ compensation and what does not.
An injury needs to meet the following criteria:
· The injury happened while you were working.
· Your injury occurred while following the proper rules and protocol.
· You are a full-time employee, as opposed to a contractor.
While none of these guidelines are fully set in stone, they mostly apply in cases around workers’ compensation. There may be some reasons that may not entitle you to workers’ compensation. They are as follows:
· The injury happened in an area that you are not assigned to be in.
· You are not a full-time employee.
· The injury happened while engaged in non-work-related activities. For example, if you are hurt while getting drinks with coworkers and your boss after hours, it would not count as a work-related injury, but if you get hurt at a work-related event, the injury would likely qualify for workers’ compensation.
Every case differs, but it is best to be aware of the general guidelines before an injury occurs. Knowing whether your injury counts as one that workers’ compensation covers can save you from having to pay high medical bills yourself. Workers’ compensation also allows you to focus on resting and recovering from the injury, rather than facing the financial stress of not working.
Construction site injuries happen regularly. It is best to know what rules to follow and how you can use workers’ compensation to get through the healing process.