If you get injured at work, you can make a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. According to the State of California Department of Industrial Relations, these benefits can include medical care, temporary disability, permanent disability, supplemental job displacement benefits and death benefits.
To ensure you receive fair and proper compensation, it is important to understand what is true and false about the workers’ compensation system. Here are some of the most common myths about receiving these benefits after a workplace injury.
1. You cannot receive benefits if the accident is your fault
You can receive workers’ compensation benefits regardless of whether the accident is your fault or not. However, you could become ineligible for benefits if you engaged in an illegal activity that caused the accident. For example, if you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you could lose your eligibility for workers’ compensation.
2. You face losing your job if you file for benefits
It is illegal for your employer to fire you after you file for workers’ compensation benefits. Filing for workers’ compensation does not protect your job, however. Your employer can still terminate you for other valid reasons even after you file a claim.
3. You need to be doing your job when you get injured
You do not necessarily need to be doing job-related activities when you get injured to claim workers’ compensation benefits. For example, if you sustained an injury walking to the bathroom on a break, you could still receive benefits for the injury because you were at work at the time of the accident.
