Who Qualifies for Workers’ Compensation?
Employees who are injured while working may qualify for workers’ compensation, so long as their employer has workers’ compensation insurance. The Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) notes that employees covered by workers’ compensation include “full-time, part-time, seasonal, or minors.” Under some circumstances, subcontractors and independent contractors may also be covered.
Despite this wide net of coverage, there are some exceptions to who qualifies for workers’ compensation coverage.
There Are Exceptions to Who Qualifies for Workers’ Compensation Coverage
The LWC spells out clearly which groups are not eligible to collect workers’ compensation. Employees who may not qualify for workers’ compensation include:
- Musicians and performers working on a contractual basis
- An employee working for a private homeowner, such as a maid
- People working in the capacity of discovering, transporting, or otherwise working with minerals
- Workers involved in plane-related spraying and dusting
- Unpaid officers of nonprofit organizations
- Real estate brokers
Additional groups may be exempt from collecting workers’ compensation insurance. A lawyer may advise you on whether you qualify for workers’ compensation. If you should be eligible, your lawyer may help you seek the compensation you are entitled to receive.
Workers’ Compensation Plays a Crucial Role
The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) notes that 1.87 million jobs may be covered by workers’ compensation insurance in Louisiana as of 2017. Those employees may not be aware of how crucial a role workers’ compensation can play in the case of a work-related injury.
If your work-related injury or illness made you unable to work, you might be facing this consequence for a significant period of time. Your injury or illness may also:
- Prevent you from earning income to support yourself and your dependents
- Lead to significant medical bills, which you may have no means of paying without your usual income
- Cause mental distress or psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety
- Cause you to be permanently disabled
- Change your personality
- Reduce your cognitive abilities
- Fundamentally change your life
Workers’ compensation might be a lifeline under these circumstances, and it is important that you collect the compensation you need in a prompt manner. A lawyer can help you with your workers’ compensation claim, among other legal services.
Hire a Lawyer to Help You File Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
Workers’ compensation claims can be relatively straightforward, but they could also become complex under several circumstances. Ideally, you will report your injury to your superiors, they will file a claim with their insurer, and you will be compensated fairly during the period when you are injured.
However, the workers’ compensation claims process is not always this simple. You may find that:
- Your employer denies that your injury is work-related
- Your employer’s insurance company claims that your injury or illness is not work-related
- Your employer or their insurance company claims that your circumstances are exempt from workers’ compensation coverage for any reason
- The facts of your injury or illness are disputed
- There is a dispute about the type of medical treatment that you should receive for your injury or illness
In any of these cases, the workers’ compensation claims process may become significantly more complex. Your lawyer can take appropriate steps to work through these issues, which may require them to go through a judge or a mediation process.
Seeking a Resolution to Your Claim
Your lawyer may take several steps to seek a positive outcome for your claim. Whether or not some aspect of your claim is contested, your lawyer may:
- Gather evidence showing that your illness or injury is related to your job
- Provide witness accounts that support why your injury or illness should be covered under workers’ compensation
- Hire experts in workers’ compensation issues to testify on your behalf
- Handle all paperwork and communications related to your claim
- Protect you from making any statements or taking any actions that could affect your eligibility for workers’ compensation
- Navigate judge review, mediation, and any other processes necessary to complete your claim
The workers’ compensation process can be daunting for people who have not experienced it before. Your lawyer may know how to respond to the unanticipated twists and turns of the claims process. You may be able to collect coverage for a portion of your lost wages and medical treatment for your injury or illness.
Call Today to Start Working with Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers
If you suffered an on-the-job injury, you might be stressed and at a loss. A lawyer can handle your workers’ compensation claim to protect you from further harm. Call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today at (337) 777-7777 for more details about how we may help you or a loved one who was injured on the job.
