If your employee gets injured on the job, or while acting on your behalf, workers’ comp can help. For example, if they get in an accident while driving to make a delivery to your customer, workers’ comp can help pay their medical costs.

About 30% of Workers Comp cases are sprains and strains. These usually happen while lifting something heavy. In most cases, these injuries take about 12 days before your employee can return to work. Jobs and activities that see the most sprains and strains include:

• Labor
• Freight
• Stock
• Material moving
• Nursing assistants

  The second highest percentage of workers’ comp cases are for falls, slips and trips. These make up 27% of claims. 

  Workers Comp doesn’t only include workplace injuries, either. It also helps cover employee illnesses, like someone getting sick from chemicals at work.

Depending on your state laws, workers’ comp plans don’t usually cover an injury or illness that:

• Happens in a fight your employee caused
• Is intentionally caused by your employee
• Happens to an employee who is intoxicated
• Is emotional and has no physical trauma
• Takes place during your employee’s commute

Workers’ comp will also not help protect you if an employee sues your business for:

• Gross negligence
• Malicious intent
• Discrimination
• Failure to promote
• Wrongful termination 

Workers’ comp can help protect your business by:

• Providing benefits to your employees that have work-related injuries or illnesses
• Limiting your business’ liability in lawsuits for work-related injuries or illnesses
• Making sure you’re following your state’s workers’ comp laws
• Helping injured employees get back to work in their old role or a new one

The laws in your state will determine the details of your workers’ comp coverage, including:

• The amount of benefits
• Types of injuries that are covered
• How benefits and care are provided

It’s important to know that some workers’ comp policies don’t provide coverage for multiple states, or for workers that travel to different states. Workers’ compensation coverage is essential for each state where your employees work.

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, which means injured or ill employees can receive compensation, but they give up their right to sue their employer. However, there are exceptions. Workers’ comp doesn’t provide coverage if you intentionally harm an employee through:

• Assault
• Battery
• Defamation
• Fraud
• A tort injury, like emotional distress

For a workers Comp quote or any other questions, you may have please give us a call today.