Workers’ Compensation Clinic Questions and Answers

Employees are almost always covered by workers’ compensation in their state of residence. However, not all workers are considered employees. Independent contractors are not covered by workers’ compensation. In many states, for purposes of workers’ compensation, partners or owners of a business are not covered employees.

Work-Related Injuries: These occur as a result of an accident or incident in the workplace. If you are injured while on the job and require medical treatment beyond first aid, you are typically eligible to make a workers’ compensation claim. However, if you are involved in an accident at work but did not sustain an injury, you will not be eligible to file a workers’ compensation claim because no damage has been caused that would result in missed work. For an injury to be eligible, it must have occurred within the time spent in the workplace performing job-related duties. Therefore, accidents that occur while commuting or during non-work-related activities will not likely be eligible for a workers’ compensation claim. However, accidents that occur during breaks or while driving for work may qualify for a workers’ compensation claim. Furthermore, injuries that are caused by aggressive behavior or horseplay while on the job may or may not be covered by workers’ compensation, depending on the specific circumstances.

Occupational Diseases: Exposure to toxic substances or repetitive work activities leading to degeneration may also be eligible for workers’ compensation claims. If you have an occupational disease – a condition or illness that arose as a result of work activities – you may have a workers’ compensation claim. Common occupational diseases include carpal tunnel syndrome, pulmonary conditions and hearing loss.
Psychiatric Conditions and Stress-Related Conditions: If psychiatric conditions are the direct result of a traumatic workplace injury or work-related activities, you may be eligible for a workers’ compensation claim. In order to consider the condition compensable under workers’ compensation, most states require certain evidence to establish a correlation between the mental health condition and work or its related activities.

The amount an employer pays for workers’ compensation depends on the insurance that they have. Based on a 2018 report by the state of California’s rating bureau, the average workers’ compensation rate was $2.25 per $100 of payroll. For example, a business with $200,000 in payroll would pay an annual premium of $4,500. This number depends on the relative risk of injury per industry and the business’s personal history of workers’ compensation claims.

There are four major types of compensation, each with similar pay intervals, such as weekly, biweekly, monthly or bimonthly.

Hourly: This is the most common type of compensation and is based on a fixed hourly wage.
Salary: Salaries are based on annual income, with the same payout provided at each pay interval.
Commission: A commission structure is based on results, not time. This is common in sales jobs, with a sum provided for each service or product sold. Business owners also work on commission, as they only get paid when they sell a product or service.
Bonuses: Typically handed out quarterly or annually, bonuses are provided in addition to a worker’s standard wage. Bonuses can work in tandem with hourly, salary and commission pay structures.

If you were injured at work, come to Reddy Urgent Care to file a workers’ compensation claim. We can help you throughout the entire process and make sure that you receive the compensation you deserve. Call us today. We look forward to serving you! We serve patients from Downtown Long Beach CA, Bixby Knolls Long Beach CA, Paramount CA, East Side CA, and Los Altos CA.