Accidents at work are not uncommon. Some jobs, of course, are inherently riskier than others, but even office workers can slip or trip over and injure themselves in a fall. In some workplaces, the environment can be conducive to illness. It’s for these very reasons that state governments enact laws that require the vast majority of employers to protect both themselves (from litigation) and their employees in the event of a workplace injury or illness. Workers’ compensation insurance can pay an employee’s medical expenses, part of any lost wages and compensate for temporary or permanent disability Employment in Virginia Virginia’s proximity to the nation’s capital and thriving economic powerhouses of the North East makes it well populated and well educated. The average annual Virginian income is nearly $54,000 (May 2016 figures). Of the myriad types of jobs that the 3,760,550 Virginians that are employed in, by far the largest number work in the thousands of offices scattered across the state. Nearly 15% of the workforce work in an office. 11% work in sales and related type jobs; 9% in food preparation; 7% in business and financial occupations (higher than elsewhere in the U.S.); 6% in education and training and slightly less than that number in transportation type jobs. Workers' Compensation Laws in the Old Dominion The only exceptions to the requirement for employers to take out private workers’ compensation insurance is if the employer has two employees or less. All other employers must have insurance cover or face severe penalties. In fact, if you are working for an uninsured employer and have a work related injury then you may still be able to file a workers’ comp. claim and succeed in gaining a payment. The laws that govern workers’ comp. in Virginia become less clear when an illness is involved. The injury must be something that has happened suddenly while an employee is carrying out a job related to the work they are employed in. Workers’ comp. does not cover trauma related injuries or those that occur over a long time. As far as occupational illnesses are concerned those that affect the spine, neck and back are not necessarily covered and any illness that is not directly related to the job (i.e. a pre-existing condition.) Example of a Virginia Workers’ Comp. Case The largest numbers of workers in Virginia work in offices. These workplaces may seem relatively safe, but accidents can still happen in them at any time. Office workers can slip, trip and fall, be trapped in a building with inadequate emergency fire equipment or escapes, suffer from electrocution from faulty wiring or stress-related illness from sitting in front of a computer all day. If you do experience a sudden debilitating accident, you should inform your employer via your supervisor as soon as you can. You then have 2 years to file your claim with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission if you hope to receive compensation in the form of medical expenses, temporary or permanent disability benefits and part of your lost wages. Why Would You Need a Competent Workers’ Comp. Attorney to Help You? A workers’ comp. attorney can help you file a claim for compensation if you: are finding progress difficult with an existing claim; are denied compensation are told your employer was wrongfully uninsured or legally uninsured find it difficult to understand the paperwork and requirements you must follow. Speak with a workers’ compensation attorney today if you’d like to get assistance with your claim.
