Workers compensation is a form of insurance that provides medical coverage and benefits for employees who are injured on the job. The system is designed to help workers who have suffered injuries related to their employment, and it helps employers reduce their exposure to lawsuits from employees.
Workers compensation laws vary from state to state, but most states have similar policies in place. The main purpose of these laws is to protect employers and provide benefits for those who have been injured on the job.
In this guide, we’ll discuss how workers compensation in Utah works, why it’s vital for your business, and what you need to do to comply with the law.
Utah Workers’ Compensation; An Overview
Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that provides wage replacement and medical benefits to employees who are injured or disabled on the job. The purpose of workers’ compensation is to provide a safety net for employees who are injured while working for their employer.
In exchange for receiving these benefits, injured workers give up their right to sue their employers for negligence (or other violations) related to their job injury/illness.
This “no fault” system protects both employers and employees from expensive lawsuits that could arise from workplace accidents or illnesses (although some claims may require an investigation). Injured workers may also receive vocational rehabilitation services, which help them return to work after an accident or illness prevents them from doing so otherwise.
Who Is Covered by Workers’ Compensation in Utah?
The following are covered by workers’ compensation in Utah:
- Employees who are injured on the job. If you’re an employee and you get hurt as a result of performing your job duties, you’re eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Employees who are injured while commuting to and from work. This includes any time spent driving to a secondary workplace location or traveling between two locations for work purposes (for example, working at home one day a week).
- Employees who are injured while traveling for work purposes—if your company requires that employees travel out of state for business-related reasons, those trips will be considered covered by workers’ compensation. Similarly, if an employer requires employees to travel within Utah for business-related reasons (e.g., attending training events), those trips will be covered by workers’ compensation as well.
- Employees who are injured during a company-sanctioned event—in order to prevent claims against employers when something goes wrong at company-sponsored events such as conventions or conferences, it’s important that employers get permission from their insurance carrier before holding such events so they know how much coverage they’ll have if someone ends up getting hurt there.
How Do I Handle a Workers’ Compensation Claim ?
When an employee files a workers’ compensation claim, they must provide medical documentation to prove they received treatment and that the injury was work-related. The employer will then decide whether to file the claim on their own or hire a third-party firm to handle it. Either way, the employer is responsible for paying out medical expenses and lost wages.
A Legal Professional Experienced in Worker’s Compensation Insurance Can Help
Workers compensation in Utah can be a tad complicated. As a business owner, it’s still important that you have a strong legal expert who understands the intricacies of the concept. A good worker’s comp lawyer can help employers understand what workers compensation in Utah means, including the mandatory nature of filing a claim.
They can also help appeal decisions made by the state agency that administers workers compensation insurance claims or even file a lawsuit if your insurance provider doesn’t want to provide compensation to an injured employee.
In Conclusion
As you might have learned, workers compensation is a form of insurance that protects employers from the costs of injuries that occur as a result of their employees’ work activities. In most states, Utah included, workers compensation requires employers to provide medical care and compensation for lost wages to injured employees.
Hopefully the information provided in this column will help you navigate this complicated and important topic. If you want to learn more about workers’ compensation laws in Utah, check out our website where we have a library of information on workers’ comp topics and other valuable resources for businesses.
