Workers’ compensation benefits are there to help injured or ill employees. Applicable employees can use these benefits to cover their medical bills and lost wages in hopes of recovering from their injury or illness.
If you are looking to apply for workers’ comp benefits, then it may help to avoid these common myths:
Myth 1: You can file for benefits if you suffered an accident while driving to work
Truth: Workers’ comp benefits are available to employees who are injured at work. If an employee is driving to work when they suffer an auto accident, they may not be eligible for benefits. However, an employee may be eligible for benefits if they were working at the time of an auto accident.
Myth 2: You can get benefits if you have self-inflicted injuries
Truth: Workers’ comp is a no-fault system. What this means is that an employee may receive benefits whether they suffered their injuries because of a mistake they made, a co-worker’s or manager’s negligence or because of occupational hazards. However, an employee may not receive benefits if they intentionally harmed themself.
Myth 3: You have an unlimited amount of time to file a claim
Truth: Injured or ill employees only have 2 years to file a workers’ comp claim. However, they may need to first report their injury to their employer by 14 to 90 days. Missing either of these deadlines can lead to a denied claim.
Employees can seek legal guidance as they apply for workers’ compensation benefits to improve their case.
