If you have been hurt in an accident while at work in the state of Nevada, you should be aware that the state makes it mandatory for most employers to provide compensation insurance to cover workplace accidents and illnesses. Workers’ compensation, where it is available, helps to pay for medical treatment related to injuries or sickness caused by the job, as well as at least part of the wages that might be lost as a result of absence from work. Employees must file a workers’ compensation claim in order to obtain payment. Employment in Nevada One and a quarter million people across Nevada are engaged in some type of employment. There are literally hundreds of different occupations, most of which are covered by workers’ compensation insurance in the event that employees are harmed while at work. Food preparation and serving type jobs are second in prevalence (181,600) only to office work in Nevada, while sales, transportation, personal care and building jobs are also high up on the list of occupations in the state, according to the 2016 statistics held by the Bureau of Labor. The average hourly wage in Nevada is $21.17, but many of the most common occupations have wages much less than that. Workers’ compensation really helps to fill a gap when injured at work. Nevada Workers’ Comp Insurance Requirements for Employers Most employers in Nevada must take out workers’ compensation insurance or risk being penalized with a stiff fine and other penalties, including possibly halting operations until insurance is acquired. Workers’ compensation in Nevada is a no fault entity, meaning that employees are covered when they are at fault and when they are not a fault for the accident. This does not include deliberate negligence on the part of injured workers. Uninsured employers not only risk being in breach of the state’s legal requirements but also let themselves open to litigation by employees themselves in the event of a work related illness or injury. The state has an ‘exclusive remedy,’ policy meaning that employers cannot be sued by employees if workers’ compensation insurance covers them. Other Relevant Information about Workers’ Comp in Nevada There are few exceptions to Nevada’s requirements for workers’ comp insurance. Insurance must be provided for any number of employees, whether they are working on a temporary or permanent basis or whether they are part or full time. Agricultural and domestic workers are not automatically covered; nor are sole proprietors or independent contractors. Employers may still opt to provide insurance for these categories to prevent being sued if there is an accident at work. When an Attorney’s Advice May be Necessary There is nothing worse than having a serious accident while performing your duties at work than finding that your employer has failed to insure you for the sort of situation that gave rise to your injuries. This is when an attorney’s advice and legal expertise can help you to recover what you have had to pay out as a result of something that happened legitimately at work. Even if your employer was insured there may be a problem with a workers’ compensation claim. Occasionally, the claim may be denied or the payment offered is inadequate. Contact a workers’ comp attorney as soon as you can if you encounter problems with your claim.
