- July 30, 2019
Studies show that more than 25% of all employees work at home. This means that more employees are telecommuting. They’re not actually going into the office. They have no reason to. So, can these employees still collect workers compensation?
A lot of people think that you can only qualify for workers comp if you work at a physical location. This isn’t true. People who work from home can get injured too. They have just as much a right to file for workers comp benefits.
Because of the type of work people do at home, they aren’t at as much risk of getting hurt. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. As long as your injuries took place while you were working, you should be allowed to receive workers comp benefits.
The hardest part about these cases is proving that you were on the clock at the time you got hurt. Since you work remotely, your Atlanta worker’s comp lawyer will have to demonstrate this if you want to receive benefits.
How Do People Get Hurt While Working from Home?
A lot of people think working from home is easy. They have this idea of people sitting around in their pajamas all day. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.
A lot of people who work at home keep similar hours to office workers. They may even log into a timekeeper system. If this is the case, it will make it easier to prove they were working at the time of their injury.
And, just because they work at home, doesn’t mean they can’t get hurt. Some of the types of injuries that could happen while working from home include:
- Falls
- Vision issues (perhaps due to excessive exposure to computer screens)
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Back injuries (if the employee’s desk chair breaks and they fall)
- Lacerations, cuts or broken bones
If you experience any of these types of injuries, you probably have a valid worker’s compensation claim. Your Atlanta worker’s comp lawyer will work hard to make sure you get your benefits.
Your Atlanta Workers Comp Lawyer Must Prove the Injury Occurred on Company Time
To be eligible for workers compensation benefits, you have to show that you were hurt while on the job. Your employer may claim that you were on personal time when you got injured. Your Atlanta workers comp lawyer has to prove that this wasn’t the case.
If you maintain a specific work schedule, your attorney can prove that your injury took place during working hours. Some of the ways they can do this is by doing the following:
- Prove that you were transported to the hospital during these hours
- Submit copies of emails or text messages that were sent immediately after the injury took place
- Video recordings with a time stamp of the injury
- Your statement that the injury occurred during working hours
It’s a lot harder to prove you were injured on the job when you don’t work set hours. Your lawyer will have to dig a bit deeper to come up with proof for your case. It may come down to the type of injury you suffer.
Let’s say you suffer a torn ACL. You injure your leg while running to answer an important conference call. Your employer claims that you tripped on your own time and it had nothing to do with work.
Some evidence you can submit to prove this is the case would be pictures of the scene, video recordings, and medical records.
What Benefits Will You Receive if Your Claim is Approved?
If your worker’s comp claim is approved, you’ll be entitled to certain benefits. Georgia provides their employers with the following benefits under workers compensation:
- Medical care for your work-related injuries
- This care must be provided by a company approved doctor
- Replacement wages equal to 2/3 of your average weekly wages
- The maximum weekly benefits you can receive is $575
- Permanent benefits if you don’t fully recover from your injuries
Your Atlanta workers comp attorney will help you file your claim. They’ll also handle your appeal should your claim be denied. Your employer will have lawyers working for them and you should too.
Call today and schedule your free initial consultation. Just because you work at home doesn’t mean you aren’t entitled to workers compensation benefits. You just need an experienced Las Vegas workers comp lawyer by our side. And remember – you pay nothing until you settle your claim.
