During this Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, employees were allowed to work remotely. We all know that employees are to be fairly compensated if they are injured while doing any activity under the scope of their employment, but what if they are injured while working from home? This question was raised by many people and there is an answer to this question. You are entitled to Cleveland workers’ comp if you are a covered employee who has been injured while performing their employment duties under the ambit of employment. This is a flawed perception that workers are only going to be compensated for any injuries sustained while traveling for work or visiting a client.

According to Stanford News, almost twice as many employees are working from home as at work. In the mid of 2020, 42% of the US labor force were working from home full-time. About another 33% were not working. The remaining 26%, mostly essential service workers, were working on their business premises. Therefore, the United States had become a work-from-home economy.

If you suffer any kind of wound while working from home, you should not have second thoughts about asking your employer regarding workers’ compensation benefits. If your employer or workers’ compensation insurance administrator denies your right to benefits, you should immediately consult a competent workers’ compensation lawyer. You should explain the complete situation to them that how you got injured while working from home and have them determine and explain your legal options.

Can You Get Ohio Workers’ Comp While Working From Home?

If you are under the employment terms, the workers’ compensation insurance has got you covered. This has nothing to do with the location at which employment activities were performed. All employers in Ohio having a workforce of either one or more employees must maintain active workers’ compensation insurance coverage to address any injuries that the workers may face while on the job, despite how they were injured.

An independent consultant, a visiting faculty member, or a contractor is not a full-time employee and is, therefore, not eligible for any kind of insurance benefits. If your employer permits you to work from home, then effectively your home is your workplace. The workers’ compensation claim is not affected by the fact that you live other aspects of your life simultaneously while working from home.

In Bremner v. Industrial commission, a workers’ compensation claim was granted to a switchboard operator who slipped on the front porch of her house while fetching for milk to put in her cereal so that she could eat while working. The court ruled that seeking food or other nourishments may be personal in nature, but can be essential for an employee’s work. Therefore, any injury that an employee sustains may occur due to the individual’s performance of duties in the course of their employment.

This is only applicable in the case that employees act prudently and in a reasonable manner and the injuries occur while they are inside the employer’s property or working from home under the directives of their employer. Furthermore, employers could completely bolt from their responsibility to provide adequate workers’ compensation if all injury claims are denied solely because they take place at home.

Protect Your Virtual Status for Your Cleveland Workers’ Comp Claim:

An employer who might dispute a virtual employee’s workers’ compensation claim would be expected to assert that the employee was not working when they got injured. Depending upon the nature of your job, you may be connected to the company’s system or may have clocked into its portal which indicates that you were online at the time of the accident.

If you are continually viewing or uploading assignments or data files to the portal, this is also evidence of your active work status. If your organization does not have any such online portal or automated software, consider routinely checking in with your supervisor or colleagues so that they are aware of your Cleveland workers’ comp status.

Moreover, if you visit a doctor after your injury, explain to them the cause and place of the accident and tell the doctor that you intend to file a Cleveland workers’ comp claim. Additionally, it is vital to document every detail of the injury and not to miss doctor’s appointments or medications prescribed by them in your Cleveland workers’ comp claim. Any sign that you are not properly attending to the medical needs, or the wounds are insignificant, and you may blow off your chances of a favorable court ruling and would be required to instantly return to work.

How to Win Your Ohio Workers’ Comp Claim:

We at Ohio Workers’ compensation lawyers comprise a team of qualified professionals who will guide you through your Cleveland workers’ comp claim. Our objective is to provide confidence and a sense of safety to our fellow members of the working class. We will work day in and day out for you and provide you the best compensation to which you are entitled.