Virginia Workers' Compensation Lawyer

Workers’ Compensation Coverage Laws in VA

Most businesses are required to hold workers’ compensation insurance. Under this law, an “employee” is anyone who falls under the following categories:

Regardless of the combination of types of employees, insurance is required for a business who employs two or more. Your employer should have workers compensation for you to use if you are injured. If that is not the case, they can be held legally responsible.

What to Do If You’re Injured on the Job

There are specific laws in place if you’re hurt or become sick on the job. Some are very complicated, which is why it's best to allow our workers’ compensation attorneys to handle your legal process instead. One of the most important factors in workers’ compensation law is that you must make your employer aware of your injury or illness immediately.

After you notify your employer, you can file a claim with Virginia’s workers’ compensation commission, which must be done within 2 years of your accident or diagnoses. Failing to meet deadlines may result in your claim being denied. Our team can ensure you file within the time limits to help get the benefits you deserve.

When To File a Workers' Compensation Claim

You are eligible to file a workers’ compensation claim if your injury or illness occurred during the course of work, which includes accidents that happened on the job or while carrying out work-related business. For an injury to be covered by workers’ compensation, it must have happened while performing a work activity at a specific time. Injuries that occurred gradually are not covered.

Our workers' comp lawyers in Virginia can thoroughly answer your questions and help you understand your eligibility for filing a claim.

Workers can be injured or become sick because of the following on-the-job situations:

• Slips-and-falls
• Exposure to harmful substances
• Harmful work environments
• Employer's failure to properly protect or inform employees of harmful work scenarios

Under Virginia’s Workers’ Compensation Act, benefits can include:

• Wage replacement
• Lifetime medical benefits
• Permanent and total disability
• Death benefits

Employees who receive certain types of benefits are also eligible to receive cost of living increases once a year.

Filing for Workers' Compensation in Virginia

Workers' compensation can depend upon the variances in your employer's insurance. This makes it a difficult legal matter to navigate, which is why our attorneys have worked tirelessly to educate ourselves on the laws and regulations in Virginia.

Our team can work with your employer and the insurance companies to get you compensation for the following:

Being injured on the job can be frightening and concerning because you have to place your trust in your employer to ensure you get the help and the coverage you deserve. At Kalfus & Nachman PC, our team of experienced workers’ comp attorneys in Virginia have the experience you can trust when proceeding in these types of cases. Call our firm today to schedule a free, private consultation—we are located in Norfolk, Newport News, and Roanoke.

Occupational Injury & Fatality Statistics in Virginia

According to the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission’s (WCC) Annual Report for 2020, there were 45,148 major work-related injuries (that is an increase of 587 compared to the 2018 numbers) and 68,511 (that's a 34% increase compared to 2018) minor work-related injuries reported in Virginia in the documented year.

The report reveals that:

• There were 286,095 First Report of Injury forms filed
• There were 179,774 Second Report of Injury forms filed

When it comes to the most common types of work-related injuries, the report revealed:

• 11% of reported injuries were head injuries
• 1% of reported injuries were neck injuries
• 32% of reported injuries were upper extremity injuries
• 19% of reported injuries were trunk injuries
• 19% of reported injuries were lower extremity injuries

The report also revealed the most common workplace events leading to injuries:

• The next most common work-related injury was a strain at 20%
• The most common work-related injury was a slip, trip, or fall at 17%
• The third most common work-related injury was being struck by an object at 17%

If you were injured in a work-related accident or while on the clock, don’t become just another statistic—learn how you can recover workers’ compensation for your medical expenses and lost wages.

Related Articles:

• Retirement and My Workers Comp Benefit
• Does WC Pay for Physical Therapy?
• No Answer to My WC Claim, What Should I Do?
• Should I Agree to a Lump Sum Settlement?
• The Importance of Incident Reporting
• Lifetime Medical Benefits in VA