Texas employees who are injured on the job may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The process, however, can be confusing for some.
Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance that covers employees who become sick or injured as a direct result of their occupation, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the accident. Most employers are required by law to have this coverage, and the benefits can include medical care and treatment and partial wage replacement. Certain kinds of workers, such as railroad workers and independent contractors, are not covered. Also, in some states, seasonal, domestic, agricultural and undocumented workers are not covered.
In order for employees to be entitled to these benefits, their injuries must have occurred while they were directly engaged in their jobs. This would also apply to any employee who is injured while attending any type of workplace event held by the employer, whether on the company’s premises or not. Employees who are not on the company’s property during a meal break and become injured are generally not covered. However, if they take their meal break on the company’s property, such as in a cafeteria, or their employer is with them during their break, their injured would typically be considered work related.
Most people who suffer a workplace injury may exercise their right to file for workers’ compensation benefits. If these benefits are delayed or the employer denies the coverage the employee is entitled to receive, the employee might consider consulting an attorney for advice about how to proceed.
FindLaw, “I Have a Job-Related Injury: What are My Employer’s Responsibilities?”, accessed on August 17, 2016