When an employee is injured or becomes ill while on the job there are a number of questions that need to be answered. At times not having a qualified person to provide the necessary answers to such questions can result in anxiety and even depression. In a bid to provide information to commonly asked questions an attorney and spokesperson from the ODG Law Group provided answers to frequently asked questions in respect of workers’ compensation.

Q. 1 Does workers’ compensation just cover my medical bills? The attorney stated that, “the short answer is no. While workers’ compensation does pay hospital and medical expenses that are necessary to diagnose and treat an employee’s injury, it also provides disability payments while an employee is unable to work. These payments are made for the duration of which the employee is unable to work due to his or her injuries. The payments are referred to as temporary disability payments and are about two-thirds of an employee’s salary.” Further, workers’ compensation pays for rehabilitation, retraining and other required benefits as well.

Q. 2 Are all on the job injuries covered by workers’ compensation? Workers’ compensation does cover most but not all on the job injuries. The system is designed to provide benefits to injured persons even if the cause of their injury is as a result of the employer or the employee’s own negligence. However, there are limits to the scope of injuries covered by workers’ compensation. For example, injuries that are sustained as a result of an employee being intoxicated or having used illegal drugs are not covered by workers’ compensation. The following may be denied coverage under workers’ compensation:
Self-inflicted injuries
Injuries suffered while a person is committing a crime
Injuries suffered when an employee’s conduct violates company policy

Q. 3 Does workers’ compensation also cover long-term problems and illnesses? Yes, many workers receive compensation for injuries that are sustained as a result of overuse or misuse over long periods of time. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome which is as a result of typing for long periods of time. An employee may also be compensated for some illnesses and diseases that may gradually result from work conditions, for example, lung disease or stress related digestive problems. It must be noted that there needs to be a link between the health problem and an employee’s work or work environment.

Q. 4 Do I have to be injured at my workplace so as to be covered by workers’ compensation? “The short answer is no. As long as your injury is job-related it is covered. For example, if an employee is injured on his way to pick up his boss’ lunch at a nearby deli, this falls into a duty that he is performing as a part of his employment. Therefore it is covered by workers’ compensation.
If you have been injured and want to claim for workers’ compensation Los Angeles seek out a law firm of renowned professionals to provide advice and representation.

[b]About the company:[/b]
The ODG Law Group is a law firm of renowned professionals who specialize in workers’ compensation matters and provide advice on individual and class cases. For a free case evaluation with San Diego workers’ compensation lawyers contact our offices for an appointment.