Workers Compensation in Lansing, MI
You aren’t alone if you wonder how workers’ compensation works.
Workers’ compensation is insurance that provides wage and medical benefits to people who have become ill or injured while at work. How far this coverage goes depends on Michigan state law.
If your injury or illness is eligible for compensation, the insurance carrier should help ease the financial burden.
Learn some of the basic principles of Michigan workers’ compensation insurance and how the process works.
Workers Compensation Statistics in Lansing, Michigan?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics collected reports of over 86,000 work-related injuries in Michigan in 2019 alone. Data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows that 249,686 people made up the civilian workforce in the city that year. The most significant employers include education and health-related organizations. Unfortunately, 19,600 people with jobs in this sector of the economy suffered an occupational illness or injury.
How Does Workers Comp Work in Lansing, Michigan?
Unfortunately, going through the process of applying for workers’ compensation begins with getting sick or injured on the job. The circumstances surrounding the incident that led to your problems are especially crucial. For example, the injury had to occur during your regular work duties. While an event that happens during your lunch break wouldn’t apply, getting into a car accident while running an errand for your boss would qualify for a claim.
Most employers in Lansing have a legal obligation to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Federal employees, agricultural workers, and independent contractors may not have to buy policies. To compensate you for time away from work, you receive cash payments based on 90% of your annual salary. In addition, your medical bills related to the injury or illness become covered by the state. If necessary, you can also take advantage of vocational rehabilitation services free of charge.
For example, say your supervisor asked you to drop something off on your lunch break. While running this errand you then get in a car accident on your way to the destination. Any resulting injury is eligible for workers’ compensation. However, if you are on your lunch break, performing no such task when you get in an accident, it does not qualify for a claim.
The steps you take immediately following a workplace incident in Michigan are critical for filing a claim. Follow the following steps to preserve your rights and learn how workers comp works.
Get Medical Attention
After you get injured or feel ill, the first step is to see a doctor. Don’t delay receiving help from a Michigan healthcare professional. Taking too long could not only jeopardize your health, but you run the risk of missing deadlines.
Even if you believe your injury is minor, get a proper medical report detailing the extent of the damage and how it occurred. This step is the top priority in the workers’ compensation claim process. Otherwise, your employer cannot file a claim with the insurance carrier.
You may have regular checkups and testing for weeks or months before a doctor finally connects your illness with your job. Your medical records will become the foundation from which the workers’ comp carrier will launch its investigation.
Generally, your doctor determines if the illness happened because of your work conditions or became aggravated by them. Once they do, see your human resources representative to file a workers’ compensation claim.
File a First Report of Injury
Once you have a medical diagnosis relating your illness or injury to your job, you must file a claim with your employer.
You have 7 days after becoming aware of a work-related illness or injury to submit a First Report of Injury to the state. The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity may acknowledge incidents that occurred up to two years prior. After that statute of limitations has passed, you will no longer be eligible for benefits in Lansing.
Timeline and Other Information
A 7-day waiting period applies before you receive workers’ compensation benefits in Lansing. If your injury or illness takes longer to recover, you receive cash for this time in a subsequent payment. For temporary disability, the time limit is 3 years. If you believe that your injuries will persist, consider applying for permanent disability with your attorney’s help.
Your employer should furnish you with information about the claims process. The adjuster or insurance carrier representative may want to speak to you at some point about the incident and any possible witnesses to the event. In the meantime, the workers’ comp insurer may begin paying medical benefits while the investigation into your claim continues.
Why You Should Hire a Lansing, Michigan Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
While workers’ compensation claims may be straightforward for some cases in Lansing, Michigan, in others, it may be more difficult. For example, your employer may decide to question whether you were hurt on the clock or on your own time. It’s also common for a company to question the full extent of your injury. Hiring a Lansingworkers’ comp lawyer ensures that you have an advocate to fight for your rights as a victim.
Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer In Lansing, Michigan
If you are hurt or contract an illness as a result of your job in Lansing, Michigan you need to find the right people to help. Since the workers’ compensation claims process can have pitfalls, you should consider getting a local attorney who knows how to avoid them.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.
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