Do you understand why workers’ compensation exists? In the course of carrying out your job, you could be exposed to different situations and conditions — good, bad, or ugly. It depends mainly on the nature of the job. So, while you’re on the clock, you may sustain an injury or contract an illness.
Even when the job is high-paying, it doesn’t guarantee that you would escape being injured or falling sick. This is why many businesses take workers’ compensation seriously. It enables them to pay for your medical expenses and partial lost wages when you contract a work-related illness or get injured.
This article will explore workers’ compensation and the laws surrounding it in Nashville, Tennessee. If you suffer a work-related injury, contact our Nashville workers’ comp lawyers for help.
What Does Workers’ Compensation Mean?
Workers’ compensation is a kind of insurance that provides wage replacement and medical benefits to you when you get injured at work. In addition, the compensation aims to discourage you from suing your employer for the tort of negligence. Getting injured or falling ill outside the course of your work doesn’t entitle you to workers’ comp.
The injury must be a result of the hazards involved in your job. For instance, having an accident on your way to work doesn’t give you the right to force your employer to pay for your medical expenses. But if you contracted a disease in the course of your job, you can claim workers’ compensation benefits.
Who Should Have Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Nashville, Tennessee?
Tennessee makes it mandatory for every business with five or more employees to provide workers’ compensation insurance. However, construction businesses that have one or more employees are required to have workers’ compensation. But a single employee who is a sole proprietor, partner, corporate officer, or limited liability company member of a construction firm can apply for an exemption.
Also, coal mining firms with employees must provide compensation. Tennessee’s definition of employees includes family members, part-time workers, and corporate officers. Employers that don’t have to buy workers’ compensation insurance due to their size can purchase it anyway. However, they must file the “Exempt Employers Notice of Acceptance of the Workers’ Compensation Act of Tennessee” (Form I-8) with the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
What Are the Types of Workers’ Comp Benefits?
Workers’ compensation doesn’t entail just one kind of benefit. Instead, it involves various types of settlements. Below are the available benefits under Tennessee law.
Medical Coverage Workers’ Compensation
This includes the expenses to be undertaken concerning all the necessary treatments related to your workplace injury. It takes care of your medications, nursing care, hospitalization bills, medical equipment like wheelchairs and also includes other therapies you may need. However, it’s essential to consider if you need any future care before deciding how much medical coverage to demand from your boss.
Disability Benefits
This workers’ comp benefit is also known as wage compensation. They cover a percentage of your wages and are usually given if your injuries have rendered you incapable of working either permanently or temporarily. The rate of salary you’ll get depends on how severe your injuries are. It is also based on how much your injuries have affected your ability to return to work. For instance, you might have to use walkers before walking again, and standing all day long may be necessary for your job.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Sometimes medical coverage and disability benefits might just not do justice to your situation. For example, your injuries may prevent you from ever returning to your workplace. Consequently, you may need to find new employment.
Thankfully, you can seek an alternative workers’ comp benefit that can best serve you. This is where vocational rehabilitation comes in. It involves job training, vocation counseling, and assistance in finding a new job.
Death Benefits
When you lose a family member to the injuries sustained in their workplace, you can claim death benefits. This kind of workers’ compensation benefit is paid to an employee’s spouse, children, or dependents. It also includes money for burial and funeral expenses.
Why You Should Call Us Now
Getting your worker’s comp benefits could be challenging if your employer is unwilling to accept that your injuries were sustained at work. Your employer may contend that your injuries are a result of your poor medical history. Our Nashville workers’ comp lawyers can help you with all the necessary documents and the advocacy required to secure your claim against your employer. We go the extra mile for our clients. So contact us today for a free case review.