Who Pays for Medical Bills After a Work Injury?

Being hurt on the job can jeopardize more than your health. A work injury can damage your financial well-being too. Injured workers face mounting pressure as they face challenges with time off, lost wages, medical care, medical bills and questions about who is responsible for payment.

At Saladino & Schaaf, our experienced work injury lawyers can help answer your questions. While each case is unique and the answers to your questions depend on the unique facts surrounding your work injury, our lawyers can help clear up confusion about the following general concerns:

• Who pays for medical bills?
• What does workers’ compensation cover?
• Are there other or additional recovery options?

Who Pays Work Injury Bills?

As a type of no-fault insurance, workers’ compensation (or workman’s comp) provides a safety net to help qualifying workers obtain the support they need after suffering a work injury. Workers who are injured on the clock may receive coverage for doctors visits, treatment, medicine, and other medical needs associated with their injury. Additionally, workers’ compensation may provide supplemental wages and other benefits.

Your employer can provide you with information and details about their workers’ compensation policy, benefits, and coverages. However, they may not tell you about other options you have for recovery of medical expenses and other damages beyond your workers’ compensation coverages.

Other Occupational Injury Coverage Options

Workers’ Compensation is an excellent option for covering expenses related to work injuries, but it may not be the only option for injured workers. Depending on the situation, an injured worker may be able to file a civil injury lawsuit outside of their workers’ compensation claim. Civil cases may be filed against:

• The property owner or contractor on a construction site;
• A third-party contractor or business;
• A negligent property owner (premises liability); or
• Another negligent third party;
• Manufacturers of defective products (product liability)

Civil lawsuits cover a broader scope of injury recovery than workers’ compensation provides. These include economic damages, lost wages and earning potential, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering. Depending on who is at fault or responsible for your accident and their conduct, you may have a civil case.

Contact a Work Injury Lawyer, If You Have Been Injured At Work

If you have been injured in a workplace accident, you should inquire about Workers’ Compensation with your employer and consider speaking with a personal injury lawyer to determine if you have any additional rights to claims against a third party.

The attorneys at Saladino & Schaaf have decades of experience representing Kentuckians who have been injured while on the job. Call us today at 270-444-0406 or 270-753-1529. Contact us for a free consultation.