Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Harm Sustained Remotely

 Posted on June 06, 2023 in Workers' Compensation

One of the most commonly misunderstood realities of workers’ compensation coverage is how far it extends. Most people, understandably, think of workers’ compensation benefits as compensation awarded to employees who sustain harm as a result of accidents in the workplace. Although such injury-related scenarios tend to be the easiest claims to prove, California workers’ compensation coverage extends to a host of other circumstances.

When Harm Occurs Off-Site

Workers’ compensation claims that are filed after someone is injured at their employer’s place of business tend to be easily proven due to the likely presence of witnesses and company surveillance footage. Yet, simply because claims for injuries sustained remotely are traditionally more difficult to prove does not mean that such harm does not render an injured worker eligible for benefits.

When a workers’ compensation claims adjuster reviews a request for benefits, their primary concerns will be as follows:

• Is the applicant a full-time or part-time employee who is eligible for workers’ compensation coverage?

• When the harm in question occurred, was the applicant engaged in work-related activity?

• Was the worker intoxicated or intentionally starting an altercation at the time of injury and is, therefore, ineligible for benefits at this time?

Note that none of these concerns relates to where a worker happened to be performing job-related duties at the time that they were injured. Workers’ compensation benefits generally extend to workers who have been injured in remote settings – including their homes, while traveling, and while attending work-related functions – provided that all other eligibility criteria for benefits have been met.

Contact a Gilroy Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Today for More Information 

Because harm that has been sustained remotely is often more difficult to prove than harm sustained in a traditional, onsite workplace, it is generally a good idea to seek legal guidance and support proactively if you need to file a workers’ compensation benefits claim for injuries that occurred somewhere other than your employer’s place of business.

To get started, consider connecting with the dedicated team of Santa Clara County, CA workers’ compensation lawyers at Cramer + Martinez today. When you schedule a risk-free legal consultation at no cost, you can learn more about your rights and about how our team can help. You can reach out by submitting a contact form on our website or by calling us at 408-848-1113. We look forward to hearing from you.

Source:

https://www.dir.ca.gov/injuredworkerguidebook/injuredworkerguidebook.html