Many New Yorkers end up coming in harm’s way during the course of their employment. Many of these employees are lucky enough to escape their workplace without injuries, but many are not. Workplace accidents, however, are common in New York. These accidents often lead to injuries for workers and long-term medical costs. In these situations, workers’ compensation may be available to these injured workers.
There is a specific compensation claims process in New York that must be followed in order for employees to qualify for workers’ compensation. It is important that workers understand their obligations in order for them to get the compensation they need.
According to the New York State Worker’s Compensation Board, there are some immediate steps that workers need to take following a workplace accident. Immediately after an accident, employers should be notified by the employee about the accident and how it occurred. A notification must be given to employers in writing within 30 days of the accident.
Employers are then responsible for reporting the accident to the Worker’s Compensation Board and to their insurance company. This must be done within 10 days of notification of the accident. Once the insurance company has been notified of the accident, the company has 14 days to contact the employee and notify that person of the person’s rights. Within 18 days of receiving notification, the insurance company must begin to pay benefits to the employee, if the employee missed more than seven days of work following the accident.
Additional steps must be taken throughout the compensation process to ensure that employees still qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. The workers’ compensation system in New York can be complicated. While this blog post cannot provide specific legal advice, an attorney can help people understand their rights and responsibilities when a workplace accident has resulted in injuries.