13 Dec What is Workers’ Compensation?
There are some workplaces where an employee’s health and safety are at greater risk than others. An employee could be in working conditions where they are constantly maintaining their safety, for example, construction workers. However, there is still the possibility for injuries in work environments that are more emotionally rigorous. For example, a heart surgeon or social worker.
Workers’ Compensation are benefits given to an employee for an injury they have suffered on the job. This payment is made by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) on a no-fault system. This means that any employee who is hurt on the job will receive this compensation, regardless who was at fault.
As stated previously, this injury must be, in some way, caused by the work environment. An employee could receive this compensation because of:
An acute accident. For instance, if the construction worker was hit in the head by debris and suffered a concussion, they would be entitled to Workers’ Compensation because they were accidently injured on the job.
A chronic injury. This could be a situation where the employee has continuous back pain from years of working on the job. It could have been manageable for some years, but it could possibly develop into an injury that makes performing at work too difficult. In this case, they would be eligible for this benefit plan.
A previous injury. If the construction worker who suffered from a concussion got hit three years ago, there could be a chance that these concussion symptoms are being triggered by certain daily conditions at work, like bright lights, loud noises etc. It is important to note that the previous injury does not have to be work-related but has to be currently affecting their participation at work.
A new injury that stemmed from previous impairment. Let’s again reference the construction worker with the concussion. If this concussion had happened several years ago, but they now suffer from horrible neck pain that is continuously getting worse the more they work on the job, they could be eligible for compensation.
A psychological injury. Suffering from an injury does not have to be physical, it can also be psychological. There are employees, like surgeons, who undergo severe stress every day at work. This stress could cause mental health issues like PTSD or severe anxiety that cause impairment.
If you have been suffering from an injury and believe you are entitled to Workers’ Compensation, please contact KCY at LAW by filling in an online consultation request or contact us by phone at 905-639-0999 to book your consultation today.