If you have been working for any length of time, you probably know at least a little bit about workers’ compensation and the fact that it can provide you with financial benefits if you get hurt or sick on the job. What a lot of workers do not know, is exactly how the workers’ compensation system works, or even what types of situations are supposed to be covered by workers’ comp in the first place.
There is no substitute for support from dependable legal counsel when it comes to making the most of a workers’ comp claim, but it can also be important to understand the basics of the workers’ comp system before starting your claim. To help you understand how state law approaches this matter, here are some examples of scenarios where you may have a work injury in Las Vegas that is covered by workers’ comp, and which our experienced workers’ compensation lawyers at Shook & Stone could help you file a claim over.
You Are Classified as an Employee
With very few exceptions for specific types of employers conducting business in specific industries, every company that has at least one full-time or part-time employee whose working times and tasks they have direct control over—as opposed as an independent contractor who works without direct supervision and control over their work—must provide workers’ compensation coverage to all their full-time and part-time employees. Notably, some companies try to get around this requirement by incorrectly and illegally classifying employees as independent contractors, which is something skilled legal representation can help you address if necessary.
An Accident Happened While You Were On the Clock
Broadly speaking, workers’ compensation benefits cover all directly work-related injuries, with exceptions made for injuries suffered by employees specifically because they were engaging in horseplay or otherwise acting negligently on the job. With this in mind, one of the most straightforward reasons why you might have a work injury in Las Vegas is if you were hurt in an accident on a worksite while you were officially on shift at that site.
You Were Hurt While Performing a Work-Related Duty
If there is no specific record of you clocking in prior to getting hurt on the job, you may still have a work injury which can justify a Las Vegas workers’ comp claim if you can prove you were hurt while performing a work-related task. Depending on the circumstances, this could be anything from routine tasks you do every day to special tasks you were ordered to do by a supervisor, to even travel to and from worksites on orders from your employer.
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You Can Trace Your Illness Back to a Specific Working Condition
Finally, diseases and chronic stress injuries like carpal tunnel injuries can be considered work injuries if you can prove they were caused mainly and directly by conditions you were exposed to while working. A textbook example of this is the thousands of people across America who inhaled asbestos fibers on the job and have since developed illnesses like asbestosis and lung cancer.
A Las Vegas Attorney Can Further Explain Why You May Have a Work Injury
Make no mistake: the workers’ compensation system in Nevada is complex and confusing, in no small part because the insurance companies that provide workers’ comp coverage want to maximize their own profits at the expense of injured workers. Fortunately, you have help available from dedicated legal representatives who have experience getting favorable results from claims much like yours.
If you have questions about why you may have a work injury in Las Vegas and whether you should pursue a workers’ comp claim, our attorneys at Shook & Stone can provide the answers you need. Call today to schedule a consultation.
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