Workers’ compensation insurance helps an injured or sick worker pay expensive medical bills and recoup lost wages while taking time off from work.
If an employer has workers’ comp coverage, an employee receives “benefits based on the type and severity of their injuries,” according to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).
There are four types of workers’ comp benefits:
- Income benefits: this pays a portion of an employee’s lost wages.
- Medical benefits: this pays for the treatment costs of an injured employee.
- Burial benefits: this pays a portion of a deceased employee’s funeral expenses.
- Death benefits: if an employee is killed on the job, this benefit pays his or her family any lost wages.
What Happens If an Employer Does Not Carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage?
Unfortunately, Texas is the only state in the United States that does not mandate employers to carry workers’ compensation. These employers are called nonsubscribers.
However, an injured employee can still receive compensation from an employer who is a nonsubscriber. In fact, these employers could face paying out large sums for punitive damages that have no cap on limits. This is because nonsubscribers lose certain legal protections that are provided to employers who have workers’ comp coverage.
If you have been injured on the job do to unsafe work conditions, contact a knowledgeable law firm that deals with workers’ comp claims in Texas.
The Law Offices of Aaron Allison – Austin Workers’ Compensation Attorney
