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Workers Compensation in Wisconsin

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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin workers’ compensation insurance and how the process works.

Workers Compensation Statistics in Wisconsin?

A press release from the U.S. Bureau of Statistics reported Wisconsin as one of the twenty-two states with a higher rate of workplace injuries in 2018. While it’s common to see younger people have more accidents or illnesses, men between the ages of 45 to 54 had the highest number of cases.

Data from the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene identifies supersectors of incidents as manufacturing, utilities, and transportation. Out of over 70,400 reports of injury from the private industry, 36,800 were classified as severe cases. 1.9 out of every 100 Wisconsin workers had a serious injury at work. The unfortunate truth is that rates continue to climb.

How Does Workers Comp Work in Wisconsin?

There is a standard practice to follow when going through the Wisconsin workers’ compensation process.

The circumstances surrounding the incident that led to the injury are crucial. The injury had to occur during your regular work duties.

Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development states that businesses must carry coverage if they have three or more employees. Some exceptions do apply for federal employees, domestic servants, and real estate brokers. Beneficiaries receive ⅔ of their average salary for the last year, and the largest amount you can receive is $808 per week. The Department of Workforce Development also provides resources for workers and their employers about exemptions. There, you can also find more details about benefits. Including weekly disability payments, or payments for special circumstances like disfigurement.

The steps you take immediately following a workplace incident in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.

Wisconsinites injured on the job have two years from the date of the injury to file for workers’ compensation. It is your responsibility to notify an employer within 30 days of discovering a work-related incident. The company or organization that you work for must file an Employer’s First Report of Injury or Disease within seven days.

Contents of the Report

The First Report of Injury will provide the workers’ compensation insurance carrier with the necessary details. They must know your physical injuries, the medical treatment you received, and the facilities that provided it.

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 witnesses.

Wisconsin has a three-day waiting period before receiving cash compensation for a claim. However, if your disability from a work injury lasts longer than seven days, you are compensated for that time.

Why You Should Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Many people believe that the injury claims process is straightforward. While this may be the case in some instances, it may be more of a hassle.

For instance, your employer may question whether you were hurt on the clock or on your own time. The company may also start to question the extent of your injury.

Don’t question how workers comp works and risk losing your claim. Hire a Wisconsin workers’ comp lawyer and ensure you have an advocate to fight for your rights.

Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer in Wisconsin

Your health and well-being need to come first. If you are hurt while working or find out an illness you are suffering is the result of your job, you will want to seek compensation.

We can connect you with a local attorney or one across Wisconsin state lines.

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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