Virginia workers' compensation attorney

Injured at Work but Your Employer Doesn’t Have Workers’ Compensation? We Can Help.

Almost all employers in Virginia required to have valid workers’ compensation insurance. However, not all of them. In an effort to save money, some employers forgo workers’ compensation coverage.

When their employees get hurt on the job, they may worry that they are out of luck when it comes to getting benefits for their medical bills and lost wages. However, the Virginia Workers’ Compensation (VWCC) Commission has an Uninsured Employer’s Fund (UEF) that is designed to provide benefits to injured workers whose employers either didn’t buy coverage or allowed their policies to lapse.

It’s important to note that just because you are eligible for compensation through the uninsured fund doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to get it. All workers’ compensation claims run the risk of being denied, and it’s often because of minor oversights and errors.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Virginia workers’ compensation lawyers know how the system works and what the VWCC looks for in claims, whether they are standard claims from injured workers whose employers have coverage or UEF claims. Our years of experience handling a variety of workers’ compensation claims means we know how to not only improve our clients’ chances of approval, but also how to get their claims approved more quickly than if they go it alone.

Contact us today for a free consultation. Workers’ compensation is complex, and there are many roadblocks between injured workers like you and the benefits you’re owed. Let us put our experience to work for you.

Who Is NOT Eligible for Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

Because workers’ compensation is required for almost all employers in Virginia, and because it’s a no-fault benefit, which means that even people who cause their own injuries are eligible, almost everyone who gets injured on the job can apply for and receive benefits. But the key word in the last sentence is “almost.” In fact, many Virginia workers can’t get benefits.

People who may be ruled ineligible to receive workers’ compensation include:

• People who were injured while under the influence—When workers get hurt on the job and were under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they may be ineligible to receive benefits.
• Contractors who aren’t classified as employees—Workers who are paid under 1099s are usually, but not always, exempt from receiving workers’ compensation, especially if their relationship with a business or party doesn’t qualify as an employee-employer relationship.
• People who wait more than 30 days to report their injuries—Being eligible for workers’ compensation benefits requires prompt action and reporting injures right away. If you wait longer than 30 days after your injury to report it, your claim may be null and void.

After an on-the-job injury, it’s important to do three things right away: report it to your supervisor, seek medical attention, and call a lawyer. The sooner you do these three things, the better.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, we know that almost all injured Virginia workers are eligible for workers’ compensation, and that’s why our lawyers work hard to get them the benefits they’re owed. Contact us today for a free consultation.