Unconventional Injuries That Workers' Compensation May Cover

It is common knowledge that workers compensation insurance covers workers' injuries that occur in the workplace. However, many employees are not aware of the wide scope of this insurance coverage. For example, many people don't know that workers' compensation insurance covers the following injuries:

Injuries Sustained During Lunch Hour

The conventional definition of workers compensation is that it applies only to injuries sustained in the course of work. This makes some people believe that injuries sustained during break time or lunch hours are not covered by workers compensation insurance, but this isn't entirely true. There are conditions in which the insurance coverage may apply to lunchtime hours. For example, you are entitled to the compensation if you were injured while eating at your employer's cafeteria or if you are injured while working over lunch.

Injuries Sustained While Working At Home

You don't have to be injured on your employer's premises for you to be entitled to workers compensation insurance. Injures away from your regular office or workplace at your employer's premises may be compensated as long as you were on the job. Even injuries sustained at home while telecommuting may be compensated by workers compensation insurance. It is just that you may have a hard time proving that you were actually working at the time of your injury, but a worker's compensation lawyer can help you with that.

Emotional Injuries

It is not just physical accidents that workers compensation caters to; even emotional injuries (such as those caused by mental stress) may be compensated by workers compensation insurance. It just depends on your state's workers compensation laws since some states don't have explicit laws allowing emotional injuries. Another complication is that it is usually difficult to prove that your mental stress has been caused by your job.

Aggravated Preexisting Conditions

Lastly, you should also know that workers compensation is not exclusive to fresh injuries; you may also be compensated for the aggravation of your preexisting injuries. This means you cannot be denied workers compensation benefits just because a person without a preexisting condition wouldn't have been injured in the accident. For example, if you have a bad back and it worsens due to difficult work conditions, you deserve to be compensated for it. Neither your employer nor the worker's compensation insurance carrier should deny you coverage by arguing that you were injured because you were working with a bad back.

If you have been injured while working, don't assume that you don't qualify for workers' compensation injury because the accident was "unusual." Instead, talk to a workers' compensation lawyer to help you determine whether you are entitled to a compensation and help you pursue it. Click here for more information on your legal options. 

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