Can I Receive Workers’ Comp if I Am Injured While Working at Home?

 Posted on March 16, 2022 in Workers' Compensation

There are a variety of situations where employees may suffer work-related injuries, and they will typically be able to receive workers’ compensation benefits, regardless of who was at fault. However, both employers and employees may be unsure about how to approach injuries that occurred while a person was working at home. This is an increasingly important issue, because the number of people who work remotely has grown significantly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. By understanding what types of injuries are considered work-related, employees can make sure they will be able to receive workers’ comp benefits in these cases.

Workers’ Comp Covers All Work-Related Injuries, Including When Working From Home

It is important to understand that workers’ compensation applies in any situation where a person is injured while working or when they suffer injuries that arose out of the work they performed. As long as injuries are considered to be work-related, an employee will be able to receive workers’ comp benefits. However, there are some cases where employees may be unsure about whether an at-home injury was truly work-related.

Generally, an injury that occurred during remote work will be considered work-related if it arose out of the work a person performed. If a person spilled water in their kitchen while getting a drink, then slipped on the spill and hurt their wrist, this may not be considered a work-related injury, since it did not occur while they were performing work. However, if a person injured their back while lifting a box of documents that they had brought home from the office, this will most likely be considered a work-related injury.

Remote workers should also understand that workers’ compensation will apply for repetitive injuries suffered while working at home. For example, a person who performs daily work on a computer may experience carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition that affects the nerves in the hands and wrists. If they performed work that contributed to this condition, either in the office or at home, they may receive workers’ comp benefits.

As with other types of workers’ comp claims, at-home workers can receive medical benefits that will pay for all treatment related to a work injury. They may also receive temporary disability benefits that address any income lost while recovering from their injuries, and partial or total permanent disability benefits may address their reduction in earning capacity due to the ways their injuries have affected them.

Contact Our Wheaton Workers’ Compensation Attorney for Remote Workers

It is important to report work-related injuries to your employer as soon as possible. You should also document the ways your injuries have affected you and the types of treatment you have received, and this documentation may support your claim if your employer or their insurer disputes that an injury was work-related. At the Law Offices of David W. Clark, P.C., we can assist with worker’s compensation claims and help you make sure you receive the benefits you deserve. Contact our DuPage County workers’ comp lawyer at 630-665-5678 to set up a complimentary consultation today.

Sources:

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/hr-qa/pages/wcandtelecommuting.aspx

https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/iwcc/Documents/handbook.pdf