Employees typically hope to avoid getting injured at work. They may wear special safety gear and follow all relevant workplace rules carefully. Particularly if they work in a high-risk job, such as manufacturing or transportation, employees may prioritize their safety above most other considerations.
Unfortunately, even the most careful employee can get hurt due to a mistake. A momentary lapse in judgment, a timing error or even the failure to notice an untied shoelace can lead to a serious work injury. Injured employees who need to undergo medical treatment and who might be at risk of lost wages during their recovery may worry that such a mistake might mean they are not eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
This concern about fault may make an employee want to not file a claim. Do workers lose their eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits if their employer can blame them for their injury?
Worker fault does not affect benefits
Employees injured on the job or diagnosed with a work-related medical condition are usually eligible for the same basic benefits regardless of the circumstances. Workers’ compensation provides medical coverage that pays for necessary treatment.
Employees who need to take time away from their jobs because of a work-related injury can also receive disability benefits. They can receive a portion of their lost wages or a portion of the difference between their prior income and their current wages.
Fault for the incident that caused the injury does not usually influence eligibility for benefits or the amount of benefits that the worker receives. Even if an employee made a mistake while operating heavy machinery or tripped over their own feet, they are still eligible for benefits.
The employee filing the claim does not need to prove that the injury occurred because of someone else’s behavior or because of rule violations or other failure by an employer. An employer having proof that the worker was at fault for the incident also usually has little bearing on the claims process. There are a few exceptions, mostly in scenarios where intoxication on the job caused an injury. In most other circumstances, fault does not impact a worker’s right to request or receive workers’ compensation benefits.
Employees anticipating conflict when they report an injury or request benefits may need help. Learning more about workers’ compensation benefits and getting support throughout the claims process can help injured employees navigate a complex system more successfully.