Does Location Matter For A Workers' Compensation Claim?
Posted on: 30 December 2019
If you have suffered an injury on the job, workers' compensation should cover your medical care, recovery, and, if necessary, loss of income. While this is the theory, reality can often be more complicated. Although many claims are carried out without any complications, it is not uncommon for injured employees to find that their employer or their employer's insurance company is attempting to deny or limit a claim. A common justification for these denials is the location where the injury occurred. If you were injured somewhere other than your typical place of employment, you might be wondering if this will affect your claim.
The Golden Rule
Workers' compensation insurance is intended to protect you during your work, no matter where you happen to be working. Although there are some minor exceptions, the golden rule is that coverage applies during the ordinary course of your employment activities. This rule means that most attempts to deny coverage based on location are unlikely to be valid.
Common Denial Scenarios
Although it is rare for location-based denials to be valid, there are still several common scenarios where employers may attempt to deny a claim. These scenarios include:
- Injuries that occur while working at home
- Injuries that occur at job sites or client businesses
- Injuries suffered while driving for work
- Injuries that occur during work-sponsored events
While some of these scenarios may seem like edge cases, they are not. If an individual is acting as an employee of a company, then that individual is covered by workers' compensation insurance. In other words, your workers' compensation claim is valid even if you are not on a premises owned by your employer. This rule applies even if you typically work in an office or from a single location.
What Should You Do If You Receive a Denial?
Even though legitimate denials are rare, you may still receive a letter or notification that your claim or certain benefits are being denied. If your injury occurred during the scope of your employment, you should immediately contact the insurance provider. If your benefits are being denied because your injury occurred outside of your typical job site, then be sure to emphasize that your injury occurred while acting as an employee.
In some cases, you may be able to resolve the issue with a single call or letter. If your employer or the insurance company continues to deny your claim, however, then it is time to seek the assistance of a workers' compensation attorney. Fighting a denied claim early will give you the best chance of having your benefits reinstated, making it crucial that you contact a lawyer as soon as you feel that you are no longer making progress by speaking directly with the insurance company.
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