If you’re injured on the job, it’s important to know your rights to compensation. After all, it could be the only thing to keep you and your family afloat during the difficult time of recovery. As a resident worker in Oklahoma, you are covered by the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Code, the set of laws that govern workplace injuries in the state.
In this post we will go over some answers to the most frequent questions we get:
- Am I covered by workers’ compensation? The answer to this is usually quite straightforward. If you are an employee in Oklahoma and are injured here, you are entitled to a claim. There are exceptions, though. Independent contractors, some agricultural workers, some commission-based brokers, people who get no monetary compensation (and a few other types of non-employees) are not eligible.
- What is the waiting period? In Oklahoma, no waiting period exists; as soon as you’re hired, you are covered.
- How soon do I report an injury? As soon as possible. If the injury resulted from a single event, you have 30 days to report it or get medical treatment. If it’s a “repeated trauma,” the state gives you 90 days.
- Will I need to pay for anything? Everything related to your injury must be covered by your employer.
What happens if your employer has no workers’ comp or your employer denies you? If that happens, you may want to consider speaking with a workers’ compensation attorney. He or she can look into your case and may be able to help you get the coverage you deserve.