With COVID-19 rapidly spreading throughout the United States, countless companies have opted to send their workers home to limit infections. Those working full-time jobs remotely have to adapt to a different kind of lifestyle, but many may be wondering who ultimately is responsible for injuries that occur on the job. If workers are injured as a result of their home environments, are employers still obligated tooffer workers’ compensation benefits?
Though workers’ compensation laws vary by state, generally the benefits can cover all employees who are injured while working, which includes working from home. Though it can be difficult to control employee home environments to maintain safety, employers are still responsible for their employees while they’re on the clock.
If you’re a company employee and not an independent contractor, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits that include:
- Medical expenses, which include emergency room visits, prescriptions, and necessary surgeries
- Lost wages if employees have to take time off to recover from a work-related injury or illness
- Funeral expenses, which a family has to pay after they lose a loved one in a work-related accident
- Ongoing care costs, which includes additional treatment needed for more severe injuries or illnesses, such as physical therapy
It’s important to note that some states don’t provide workers’ compensation benefits for certain types of workers. If you’re a farmhand, real estate agent, seasonal worker, or insurance worker, you should call your employer to learn what your options are if you suffer from an accident while working.
Common Types of Remote Work Injuries
Home work environments can easily produce dangers if they’re not properly inspected. A trip over a rug can cause sprains and fractures, broken bones, spinal cord and neck injuries, and head and brain trauma. Poor lighting can cause eye strains, and a poor desk setup can easily cause carpal tunnel syndrome. All these injuries can be expensive to treat if x-rays and prescription medications are needed to recover, which is why our lawyers can help you file for the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve.
To qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, you must be an employee, your employer must already carry workers’ comp insurance, and your injuries or illnesses must be work-related. Additionally, you must meet your state’s deadlines for reporting the injury and filing a claim. The sooner you call our workers’ comp lawyers, the sooner we can get started on the paperwork you need to file your claim.
How to Plan for Safe Remote Work
As an employer or an employee, you can prevent accidents at home by creating and/or following remote work policies, including:
- Having employees sign remote work agreements
- Creating a safety checklist for remote workspaces
- Provide safety training and resources for employees
- Ensuring employees have appropriate desk setups and proper lighting
You Have the Right to Recover
With more than a decade of legal experience, Belushin Law Firm, P.C. has guided countless injured individuals to recovery through fierce advocacy and understanding service. We’ve helped those who have suffered from injuries and accrued damages as a result of car accidents, medical malpractice, and more, and we’re well-versed in workers’ compensation laws. Your employers owe you a duty of care and should be held responsible if they breach that duty in any way. Our personal injury lawyers can help you pay any mounting medical bills you may have as a result of treating your injuries – it’s not your responsibility to have to go into debt when you’ve already suffered enough.
When you’ve been injured due to negligence, you want to trust a lawyer that has demonstrated success in achieving compensation for clients. Belushin Law Firm, P.C. has recovered millions of dollars since 2002. Call our personal injury attorneys today at (888) 918-9890, or contact us online for a free consultation.