Can I have delayed symptoms after an auto accident?
After an automobile accident, you might be disoriented or even in a state of shock, which may cause you to underestimate your injuries. In many cases, severe pain might not set in until two to three days afterward. That is why seeking immediate medical attention is critical.
How are car accident and workers’ compensation injuries treated?
Whether you have a workers’ comp or automobile accident injury, you are very likely going to be in pain. Usually, your doctor at Injury Doctors NYC orders an X-ray right away to check for fractures. Once your doctor diagnoses the type and severity of your injury, they develop a treatment plan.
For soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash, muscle strains, and spinal misalignment, your treatment plan may include a combination of medications, rest, and physical therapy and rehabilitation.
To relieve acute or ongoing pain, your doctor at Injury Doctors NYC may recommend an advanced interventional treatment such as nerve block, joint injections, or an epidural steroid injection.
You can always walk into Injury Doctors NYC for urgent care treatment for workers’ comp or auto accident injuries. Calling the clinic or using the online booking tool to schedule an appointment is also possible.
What Does Wokers’ Compensation Cover?
Another frequently asked question includes the coverage of workers' compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation insurance helps cover medical expenses, lost wages, ongoing care costs, as well as funeral expenses if an employee is hurt, becomes sick, or dies as a result of a work-related accident or illness.
What Is Not Covered by Workers' Comp?
Workers' compensation insurance can help protect your business and employees in the event of a covered loss, but some situations take place on the job that are not covered by workman's comp insurance. These vary from state to state and are typically determined by different state laws.
Here are a few examples of what most workers ’compensation plans do not cover:
- Injuries received by a fight that an employee started.
- Injuries an employee sustains due to being intoxicated in the workplace.
- Injuries an employee gets intentionally.
- Emotional injuries that are not accompanied by a physical workplace trauma.
Who Pays for Workers ’Compensation Benefits?
Employers who do not pay for benefits typically purchase workers ’compensation insurance to cover the benefits for employees. Most states require businesses to carry workers ’compensation insurance with the exception of Texas and New Jersey. In those states, coverage is elective.
Employees are not responsible for paying for workers' compensation benefits. Workers' comp insurance costs vary greatly depending on many factors, including:
- State laws.
- Business size.
- Type of work employees do.
- On-the-job risks.
What Should an Employee Do if Hurt on the Job?
If an employee is injured on the job, they should report the injury to their supervisor immediately. When the injury is reported, the report should include the date, time, and circumstances of the injury. Each state has different requirements about when an injury should be reported, but it’s always best to report the injury as soon as it happens.
Job-related illnesses that worsen over time should be reported as soon as a diagnosis has been obtained by the employee or as soon as they learn the injury or illness is related to their job.
How Do I File a Workers' Compensation Claim?
Filing a workers' compensation claim as soon as possible is important. Report a workplace injury or illness if:
- The injured person is an employee of your business.
- Your employee became sick due to their work.
- The employee gets injured because of job-related duties.
- If the employee gets hurt in the workplace.
Make sure your employee gets the proper medical treatment if they're injured on the job. If you need to, call the ambulance or take them to the emergency room. If their recovery requires time off from work, approve their request.
Before filing a claim, you'll need to gather a lot of information. The actual information you’ll need can vary from state to state. Some general information an employer and employee may need to include when filing a claim includes:
- Company information (account number and location, policy number).
- Injured employee information (name, date of birth, address, phone number, Social Security number, age, gender, etc.).
- Details of the incident (date of incident, type of injury, exact body part injured, the cause of injury, estimated number of days the employee will lose, anticipated return date, any witnesses, etc.).
Once the necessary information is collected, you should file the claim with your insurance company as soon as possible. This process can differ depending on the state your business operates in. States may impose a window of time business owners have to report the matter to their workers' compensation insurance carrier. New York, for example, requires reports to be filed within 30 days.
How Do I Get Workers' Compensation Insurance?
You can buy workers' compensation insurance online, from an agent, or over the phone. The state your business is in determines your workman's comp policy requirements. Many factors could play a role in determining the coverage you need and how much you will pay for workers' comp. Here's some information to know before buying a policy:
- How many employees need coverage.
- The number of employees at your business.
- The type of work employees will be doing.
- Your payroll size.
Business owners can buy workers' comp insurance from private insurance companies or state-funded programs.
It's important to note that not all insurance carriers sell this coverage directly to business owners. Some providers only offer it through agents.
If an Employee Is Receiving Workman’s Comp Benefits, Are They Eligible for Disability, Unemployment, or Social Security Benefits?
Employees receiving workers' compensation income benefits are not automatically ineligible for the benefits above. One thing to note is the number of benefits due under other programs may be affected by workers' comp benefits. Your company’s benefits office should be contacted for specific information regarding eligibility for long-term disability and unemployment insurance benefits.
