What Isn’t Covered Under Workers Compensation

Everyone loves a cut and dry situation. For example, a car runs into you. It is clearly and obviously that driver’s fault and not yours. The police believe the same story and so does the court when you sue for damages. There is no way for the at-fault driver to claim that you did anything wrong. It feels liberating. It feels simple. We all wish life could only be that simple all the time. But we all know the truth. Life is far from simple. Our Los Angeles on the job injury attorneys at Law Offices of Kropach & Kropach know all about complicated injury stories and complicated workers compensation claims. However, we also know about how to work our way through the complications.

No one plans on getting injured on the job. However, there are options in place for you to provide benefits while you are recovering. In order to know what is covered by workers compensation, let’s take a look at what isn’t covered. Workers compensation claim won’t typically cover:

• Stress or other psychiatric injuries: However, there is a caveat. If we can make a strong relationship between the mental health condition and the workplace, there is a chance that you can get coverage for such an injury or illness. California believes in protecting those with mental health issues. Don’t be scared to try and get the benefits you need if you are suffering from mental health.
• Self-inflicted injuries: Because these injuries did not result from a work injury, it will more than likely be denied coverage.
• Everyone loves coworkers they can play around with: However, if you were to become injured as a result of horseplay or fighting, you will not be covered. Take the workplace seriously and take the horseplay outside.
• Injuries that happen while you commute to and from work: If part of your job responsibilities requires you to drive then there may be situations where injuries from traveling can be covered. However, typically, if you are driving to and from your office you are not considered “on the clock”. This means that you can not be covered by your employer.
• If you are committing a crime while at work and get injured, it is not covered.
• If you are drunk or under the influence of drugs, the injury is considered self-inflicted and not covered by workers compensation. For example, bartenders beware. Do not drink behind the bar while working because if you slip and fall it may be on our dime and not the companies.
• Last, if you are injured while violating the rules of your employment, you will not be covered.

What will be covered? Injuries while performing normal job responsibilities while at your place of work. Even though the scenario can be complicated to explain, if you can avoid the bulleted list above, you should have a functional workers compensation claim. Call 818-609-7005 or click here to start a conversation with our workers compensation attorney at the Law Offices of Kropach & Kropach in Los Angeles today.