If your employer has insurance and you are injured at work, will you have to pay directly for this? Isn’t it that at the end of the day, if you ask for compensation, this is covered by the insurer?
The reality is that after you or any employee receives workers’ compensation , your employer’s insurance premium will surely go up. Companies have workers’ compensation insurance, and it is this that covers the accident. However, in the long run, employees also pay if there are pending compensation because their insurance premium goes up. These amounts are calculated with an algorithm that considers the claims that a company has with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).
If the number of claims goes up, the insurance premium goes up above the industry average. In addition, these claims are kept in the employer’s registry for three years so that a company can continue to pay higher fees even after the compensation for those claims are paid.
Because employers are not exactly in your favor when you make a claim, it is especially important not to fully trust what they can tell you if you have been injured on the job.
Beware of foremen who minimize the severity of your injury, discourage medical or legal consultation, threaten to fire you, or seek to postpone reports.
The dates to take into account
Regarding the importance of not postponing, it should be noted that the following limitation periods apply in California (link in English):
- You have 30 days to give your employer written notice of the injury.
- Your employer must provide you with a claim form within one day of receiving your notification of the injury.
- You have one year to file your claim
Ultimately, it will hurt the business if you make a workers’ compensation claim as this will affect you financially in the long run. Therefore, it is important that you keep in mind that not everything that your bosses advise you can be really beneficial for you. Also, remember that it is crucial to act fast not only for your health but also for the legal prescription periods mentioned above. Don’t lose your right to be compensated.
