Can You Get Workers Comp Benefits if You Work from Home?

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started, a lot of employees have started working from home. Many companies have decided to keep things as they are. They realize it can be cheaper to let their employees work remotely. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t on the hook for work-related accidents and injuries.

If you work from home and get hurt, you should call an experienced Mississippi workers comp lawyer. Let them take a look at your case and determine how you should handle things. Just because you work from home now doesn’t mean your employer is off the hook. But just in case your employer does reject your claim, you should have a plan. That plan should involve a seasoned Mississippi workers comp lawyer. 

It Will Be Harder to Prove Your Case

Like it or not, it’s a lot harder to prove a worker’s comp claim when you work from home. It is easy to assume that remote workers spend a good portion of their day doing stuff other than work.

Even if your computer tracks your activities, that doesn’t necessarily mean you were working at the time of your injury. You could have been walking the dog and fell. You could have been in the shower and slipped. At least when you work on-site, there isn’t a question of where you were at when you got hurt.

Your Mississippi Workers Comp Lawyer Needs to Prove Your Claim

Your claim must be handled the same way as any other Mississippi workers compensation claim. Your Mississippi workers comp lawyer needs to prove the following in order for you to have a chance to get your claim approved:

• The injury took place while you were on the clock or, if you’re salary, during normal business hours
• You were actually working when the accident took place
• You weren’t under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• You were treated by a company-approved doctor

Of course, your claim will be more justified than this. However, these are the basic criteria you need to meet to even have a chance of getting your workers comp benefits.

Can You Prove that You Were Working at the Time of Your Injury?

It can be difficult for remote workers to prove that they were working at the time they got hurt. There’s nobody there to see you fall or get hurt. Nobody can say they saw what happened except maybe your family member. Even if your spouse or child did see what happened, their statement can only be taken with a grain of salt.

The insurance company will naturally assume they’re lying on your behalf. It’s doubtful that you’ll catch the incident on video even if you do have cameras in your house. The good news is that your Mississippi workers comp lawyer knows how to prove your case. They’ll use computer reports, emails, and other documentation to prove that you were doing work during the time you got hurt.

Are You Sure You’re an Employee?

One issue a lot of remote workers run into is their employer saying they weren’t legally an employee. Before COVID-19, a lot of people who worked from home were consultants or independent contractors. However, the pandemic has changed all of that.

If your employer tries to say that you weren’t an employee, call your Mississippi workers comp lawyer right away. Gather all of your paperwork so you can bring it to your lawyer’s office. Your employment papers, such as tax returns and offer letters should show what your official status was.

If you can’t show that you’re actually an employee of the company, you will not be eligible for workers comp benefits.

You Should Call an Experienced Mississippi Workers Comp Lawyer

Workers comp cases are different from regular personal injury cases. You aren’t really suing for damages. Instead, you’re pursuing a claim for workers comp benefits. Your Mississippi workers comp lawyer’s job is to get you medical treatment and replacement wages. If all goes well, you’ll receive 2/3 of your weekly wages every week. All of your medical treatment will be covered as well.

If for some reason, your claim is denied, your attorney will have to sue in workers comp. Before you worry about that, call and schedule your free, initial consultation. Sit down with someone who’s familiar with the Mississippi workers compensation laws. They’ve handled cases like yours before, so they’ll know how to best proceed.