When a Newport New employee suffers a serious injury in a workplace accident or sustains a work-related illness, it is important to seek workers’ compensation benefits. According to a set of statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), thousands of workers’ compensation claims are filed in the state of Virginia each year, but fewer than half of those claims are approved. In our state, the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Act provides that employees who get hurt on the job can be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.

What else do you need to know about Virginia law in order to file a workers’ compensation claim in Newport News? Workers’ compensation law in our state is complex, but an experienced Newport News workers’ compensation attorney can help you through the process of filing a workers’ compensation claim or appealing a denial of benefits.

Steps for Filing a Newport News Workers’ Compensation Claim

When it comes to filing a workers’ compensation claim, the law is very specific about procedures that an employee must follow. If you do get hurt on the job, you should be aware of the requirement of a written notice. Whenever someone gets hurt at work and plans to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits, she must submit, within 30 days of the accident or injury (but better, as soon as possible) a written notice to her employer that includes the following information:

• Name and address of the employee who suffered the injury or illness at work;
• Time the accident happened;
• Place of the accident;
• Nature of the accident and injury (including the type of assessed injury if you have already seen a medical provider); and
• Cause of the injury.

It is important to keep in mind that the cause of the injury must be related to your job. In other words, if you have a preexisting medical condition, such as a degenerative disease, the fact alone that your injury or illness occurs at work does not necessarily mean that it will be deemed a work-related injury. However, if your required work aggravates a preexisting condition, then you may indeed be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.

What Types of Benefits Can I Receive?

If your workers’ compensation claim is approved, what types of benefits can you receive? The law allows injured employees to receive a wide range of benefits through workers’ compensation, including but not limited to:

• Payment for your medical bills and physical rehabilitation;
• Costs for your prescription medications;
• Costs for any medical equipment or supplies you require; and
• Lost wages as a result of your injury.

The calculation for your lost wages will depend upon whether you have a temporary or permanent disability, and whether the disability is a partial or total disability. Your Newport News workers’ compensation attorney can help you to understand the distinctions and to discuss your benefits options with you.