Does Workers’ Compensation Insurance Automatically Cover Every Workplace Injury? 

 Posted on February 15, 2023 in Workers' Compensation

People usually spend at least eight hours a day, five days a week at work. With so much time on the clock, work injuries are bound to happen. While some of these injuries may be so minor that they do not justify taking any kind of legal action, others can be serious enough that they put someone out of work permanently. North Carolina requires most businesses to have workers’ compensation insurance, but that does not necessarily mean your employer has workers’ compensation insurance or, if it does, that the insurance will cover your injury. To learn what kind of injuries workers’ compensation is meant to cover, read on and then contact a North Carolina workers’ compensation insurance attorney for more information. 

Which Employers Need to Have Workers’ Compensation in North Carolina? 

North Carolina law requires businesses with three or more employees to have either workers’ compensation insurance or to qualify as a self-insured employer. However, certain employees are exempt from workers’ compensation coverage, including: 

• “Casual” employees (people who can come and go from a job site at will)

• Most contract workers (although many contract workers could still be classified as employees in the case of a workplace injury)

• Domestic employees 

• Agricultural workers, when there are fewer than ten employees 

• Railroad employees

• Federal government employees 

• Corporate officers who want to be excluded from coverage 

While having workers’ compensation insurance is mandatory for most employers, not all employers follow the law, leaving both themselves and their employees vulnerable. 

Which Injuries Are Covered Under Workers’ Compensation? 

When a worker is covered by worker’s compensation, the injured worker gives up his or her right to sue the employer in the event of a workplace injury. However, the worker may be able to sue a third party if that party’s negligence caused the injury. One of the main benefits of worker’s compensation is that it is not dependent on fault. This means that even if an employee was responsible for his own injury, workers’ compensation usually still covers him. Workers’ compensation can provide payment for more than just treatment for injuries; it can also include: 

• Missed wages

• Funeral costs

• Therapy and rehabilitative care

Call a Smithfield, NC Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

If you were injured at work and have questions about how North Carolina’s workers’ compensation laws apply to your case, contact a Johnston County, NC workers’ compensation attorney with Vasquez Law Firm, PLLC. We fight for our clients and pursue the full amount of compensation they are due. We are ready to help you if you need to appeal your case. Call 1-844-YO-PELEO today.

Source: 

https://www.ic.nc.gov/wcinsrqmt.html