Injuries at work happen daily, as it is very common for someone to be involved in a slip and fall accident. Although it is unfortunate, many people break bones and are diagnosed with other serious illnesses every year from the workplace. Nevada law requires that all private employers with one or more employees to have workers compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation insurance pays for medical bills, lost wages, and any permanent disability suffered by workers who get injured while on the job. Employees cannot receive workers’ compensation if they are not actively on the job while they were injured. There are many steps to receiving benefits from workers’ compensation and filing a claim.
Who Qualifies for Workers’ Compensation?
Nevada workers’ compensation covers injuries that happen within the time period of your employment. If you get injured while working on the job, or doing a duty for your boss out of the workplace, you will most likely be qualified for compensation. Typically, injuries that occur outside of work, at home for example, you will not be granted workers’ compensation because you are not on the job. Examples of injuries that you would be compensated for if you were on the job would be a broken bone due to falling, or developing an illness due to the harmful toxins in your workplace. The Nevada workers’ compensation law does not require employees who get injured to use their own insurance.
What are the Benefits of Workers’ Compensation?
When you get injured at work and file for workers’ compensation, and it successfully goes through, there are some benefits you are entitled to. These benefits include:
- Medical bills
- Physical therapy and other treatments to help you heal
- Temporary Disability
- Temporary Disability includes benefits that are two-thirds of your monthly wages, that you can receive until your doctor determines you are no longer eligible for it as you have reached maximum medical improvement.
- Permanent Disability
- If you are found to be permanently disabled due to a workplace injury, you will receive two-thirds of your monthly wages as long as you are still permanently disabled.
- Temporary Partial Disability
- If you are partially disabled and can still work, you will receive two-thirds between your monthly wages and the amount you are currently making after the injury.
- Permanent Partial Disability
- The amount of money you receive for permanent partial disability is based on the disability, your age, and your previous wage.
How to Receive the Benefits
There are specific steps that are needed to take to ensure you receive the benefits.
- Give your employer a completed notice of injury or disease form
- You must give your employer a C-1 form within seven days of the injury. If you submit this form after seven days, your employer has the ability to deny the claim.
- Pursue medical treatment
- It is important you get medical treatment as soon as possible, and ask your employer to inform you on which doctors you are able to visit.
- Have your doctor fill out an employee compensation report after first treatment
- When you visit the doctor, it is important you inform them you are seeking workers’ compensation because of the work related injury and they will fill out a C-4 form. Within three days of the appointment, you must show the C-4 form to your employer’s insurance. Once you submit this form, your employer has 30 days to either accept or decline the form.
Injuries at work can be very serious, and it is common for workers’ compensation claims to get denied, either by the employer or the employer’s insurance. If it does get denied, you have the right to appeal the claim under state law. Workers’ compensation claims in Nevada can be very difficult to overcome by yourself, that’s why it is highly suggested that you have a legal team by your side to represent you in court. Richard Harris Law Firm will aid you with developing a firm case to ensure you receive workers’ compensation benefits.
