In our first post in this three-part series (here’s part 1, and here’s part 2) about workplace injuries, we talked about the different types of protection that may cover an injured employee. (If you didn’t get it or don’t remember it, click here to get it sent to you again!) But how do you know what kind of coverage your employer provides? Is there workers’ compensation, non-workers’ comp employee benefit plan, or nothing at all?
One way to find out is to visit the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) webpage at https://www.tdi.texas.gov/wc/employer/coverage.html. That’s a good resource, but sometimes it’s more complicated than you think. In order to be really sure about whether your employer has workers’ comp, make sure that the information matches what is on your paycheck. If you’re not sure, you can call TDI at 800-252-7031.
Another way to find out is to ask. Sometimes this works, but your supervisor may not always understand the difference between workers’ comp and non-workers’ comp employee benefit plans.
The third way to find out is to look at the employee handbook. This can be complicated too, and sometimes companies don’t have very good employee handbooks.
The bottom line is that you are legally entitled to know what kind of coverage your employer has. But it’s also true that sometimes supervisors get suspicious if you start asking—they shouldn’t, but sometimes they do. So be careful how you go about finding out.
Finally, it’s important to remember that workers’ comp only covers employees! If you are a contractor, you may not be covered by workers’ comp even if the company you are working for has coverage. And if you are an employee of a company, but you get injured as a result of the negligence of someone other than your employer, you may have rights against the person or company that caused your injury.
Workplace injury situations can be complicated. That’s why Lovins Law is here to help you in case you get hurt at work.
If you or someone you love has been injured at work, call Lovins Law right away at 214-484-1930.