Wyoming is the most sparsely populated state in the lower 48 states, but there are still a quarter of a million of its residents working somewhere. There is always a chance that an accident at work leaves an employee badly injured or ill because of the workplace conditions. Most Wyoming workers will be protected by their own employers’ workers’ compensation insurance which after a claim may help to pay any medical bills that have to be paid as well as lost wages. In some cases, injured or sick workers may find that it helpful to talk to an experienced attorney about their workers’ comp claim. Employment in Wyoming 276,120 people had jobs of one kind or another across Wyoming according to data from the Bureau of Labor for May 2016, the last date that figures were available. As in other states, office jobs are the most common type of occupation in Wyoming (15%), with a total of 36,190 employees. 10% of workers in the state are employed in construction and extraction jobs, the second largest occupational category, which reflects the importance of mining and construction in the Wyoming economy. Workers in this particular category face risks at work that many other workers do not. Additional key industries in Wyoming are sales (9%), food preparation (9%), and transportation (8%), among others. Wyoming’s Workers’ Comp Regulations Workers’ compensation insurance must be taken out by all employers in Wyoming, although there are a few important exceptions. As in other states, federal employees are excluded as they are covered by a separate insurance scheme. Agricultural and domestic workers are also excluded in Wyoming, although employers may still opt to take out insurance on their behalf. There are specific advantages to both employers and employees with workers’ compensation insurance. If you, as an employee, are injured at work or suffer from an occupational disease, and your employer carries workers’ comp insurance, it means that you are only legally able to claim workers’ compensation. This is limited to medical costs, rehabilitation benefits and part of lost wages. This saves employers from being privately sued, which could be much more costly. Further Details About Workers’ Comp in Wyoming If you work as a freight mover in Wyoming and are badly injured on the job, it is likely that you will be able to file a workers’ compensation claim as your employer will have insurance to cover these sorts of accidents. You have 1 year from the date of the accident to file a claim. There are specific rules that govern the way you are compensated if you suffer a workplace injury. Mental injuries are not necessarily covered unless they are accompanied by a physical injury. Medical costs are covered until the point when a doctor recommends a return to work. If a return to the same type of job (for example, after a bad mining or industrial accident) is impossible, compensation can help to provide a transition or training for anther occupation. Workers’ Comp Claims in Wyoming May be Helped by an Attorney If you are encountering difficulty at some stage of your workers’ comp claim, you may find it worthwhile to contact a workers’ comp attorney. There may be concerns about your employer’s insurance status, and the attorney may be able to suggest alternative legal avenues. Plus, you most likely won’t have to pay your attorney unless you win your case. A private personal injury claim, for instance, may be the only recourse if you are not covered by workers’ compensation for any reason. Other reasons why an employee might consult an attorney are if their claim has been denied or if the amount offered by the insurance company seems unreasonably low.
