Related Injury Workers Compensation example essay topic

Workers Compensation is a very touchy subject to many that have had to deal with a work-related injury. Workers Compensation is a highly technical insurance that most individuals in todays society find hard to grasp. Although workers compensation is required for most by law, many people still do not receive the necessary coverage that is so desperately needed; therefore, people must become more educated in the workers compensation area. Within this text, many questions relating to workers compensation will be answered, hopefully shedding some light on the very confusing subject of workers compensation. The following list of question will be the main focus of the text: 1. What is workers compensation?

2. What should one do if they are injured at work? 3. What are the employers responsibilities after being notified of an employees injury? 4. When must one tell their employer that they have been injured at work?

5. Can one get medical help for their injury? 6. Can an employer ask their employee to see another doctor? 7. How long can one receive treatment?

8. If treatment is needed while the claim is being disputed, will ones health insurance pay their bill? 9. What if one has to miss work because of their injury? 10. Will ones employer pay them their full salary while they are out?

11. How long does an employer have to decide whether they will pay the employee for lost time? 12. How long can one receive benefits for lost time?

13. What if ones injury bothers them in the future? 14. What if ones employer refuses to pay their claim? These are all questions that are commonly asked by people that are unprepared for a work related injury (Wertz, Bryant) Workers compensation has a definition just like any other word or phrase, so what is it? Workers compensation provides benefits for occupational injuries or disease suffered by an employee, regardless of fault (Danzon).

When the definition of workers compensation mentions benefits, these include medical as well as financial and are basically in tact too not just help the injured or sick, but also to provide some aid to the employer. Without workers compensation, many employers would go bankrupt paying for lost wages and medical bills sought by injured and or sick employees. This question is one that seems like it should be self-explanatory, right? Well, that is not always the case. Many people who are injured at work believe that they do not need to tell their employer right off because they think that it will cause problems with their job security. The real fact is that anyone who is injured at work needs to notify their employer within 90 days of their injury, if one fails to notify their employer within this 90 day period, than they will fail to qualify for workers compensation benefits (Wertz, Bryant).

This is not a matter in which one should take lightly. If one is injured and does not report their injury to his / her employer, than they will be faced with the burden of paying for all medical expenses and at the same time, if loss of work time occurs, dealing with the loss of wages. After someone is injured at work and has notified their employer, it is then the employers responsibility to make sure that the employee is treated. If there is an injury that is going to take medical treatment, or if the injury is going to make the employee lose time at work, the employer must fill out what is called the First Report of Injury.

The First Report of Injury is a report that describes the injury and is filed with the Workers Compensation Board. Employers have up to seven days to file this report (Danzon). If the report is not filed within seven days, than the employee who has been injured must then proceed to call a regional workers compensation office. When one calls a regional office, they must ask to talk to a troubleshooter, the troubleshooter will then take in the necessary information to get the ball rolling on receiving the proper care with help from workers compensation. Sometimes an injury in the workplace forces one to seek medical help. The question that is often asked in this area is, can I get medical help for my injury?

The answer to this question is yes. If one is injured at work, they may seek medical assistance. For the first ten days that one goes to the doctor, the employer has the right to choose the health care provider to treat the injury. After ten days, one can select his / her own doctor. In order to select ones own doctor, they must tell their employer that they wish to have another person treat their injury (Wertz, Bryant)..