Workers Compensation in Wyoming
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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming workers’ compensation insurance and how the process works.
Workers Compensation Statistics in Wyoming?
A Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses reported 7,500 cases of workplace illness or injury in Wyoming in 2019. The Department of Workforce Services says 3.4 out of every 100 workers fell ill or got injured on the job, which provides perspective on the problem. Couriers, nurses, and residential care facility employees in Wyoming had the highest rates of incidents by a wide margin.
How Does Workers Comp Work in Wyoming?
There is a standard practice to follow when going through the Wyoming 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.
The average monthly wage for a person receiving workers’ compensation in Wyoming was $2,759.02 during the fourth quarter of 2020. The Department of Workforce Services will pay ⅔ of your average weekly salary, up to $779 per week. Medical benefits, travel reimbursement, vocational rehabilitation, and other services are also available to you. Wyoming law requires that all employers carry workers’ compensation insurance, but there are exceptions. Volunteers for non-profit organizations, independent contractors, and casual laborers are among the occupations that have exclusions.
The steps you take immediately following a workplace incident in Wyoming 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 Wyoming 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.
The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services says that employees must report an injury to their employer within 72 hours. You also have a responsibility to notify the Workers’ Compensation Division with a Report of Injury form within the first ten days. The division has fifteen days to review, and if extra information is necessary, you will receive an initial Review letter. You or a doctor must respond with the requested information by the stated deadline.
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.
You must wait three days before receiving payment for workers’ compensation benefits in Wyoming. If you continue to stay away from work due to an injury for more than eight days, you will receive payment 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 Wyoming workers’ comp lawyer and ensure you have an advocate to fight for your rights.
Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer in Wyoming
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 Wyoming state lines.
Submit a request online or call us at (866) 345-6784 to find a workers’ compensation lawyer today!
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.
Other areas of Wyoming law could apply to your case!
