Advice for Navigating the Workers’ Comp Process

Workers' Compensation

Workers’ compensation is an insurance program that employers buy to pay for an employee's medical expenses and lost wages after a workplace injury. Most people don't think about workers' comp until they need it, but at that point there’s a lot to learn. Every state has slightly different laws, so finding the right answer for your situation isn't always easy. The free workers' comp advice and resources below break down the process so you can focus on getting better and getting on with your life.

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What Is Workers’ Compensation & How Does It Work?

For most people, workers’ compensation is something you really think about until you need it. And when you do, there’s a lot to learn about.

What Should You Do if You're Injured at Work?

When you get sick or injured at work, notify your employer and get all necessary medical care.

What Qualifies as a Workers’ Comp Injury in 2024?

This article explains what qualifies as a work-related injury under workers’ comp law and how you can get the benefits you deserve.

Who Qualifies for Workers' Comp Benefits?

Most companies are required by law to have workers’ compensation insurance, which pays for medical bills and lost wages when an employee is injured on the job.

Can You Get Fired if You File for Workers’ Comp?

One of the most common questions we hear is about whether you can get fired for filing a workers’ compensation claim. The short answer is no.

What Is At-Will Employment & Which States Have Exceptions in 2024?

Most states have at-will employment, which bring a certain freedom to businesses and employees, but can also make it hard for workers to protect their rights.

13 Common Myths About Workers’ Comp

Applying for workers’ compensation can be a complex process. Workers’ comp rules vary from state to state, and navigating the process while seeking medical treatment adds to the challenge.

Workers’ Comp for Mental Health: A State-by-State Guide for 2025

Most workers’ compensation advice assumes you have a physical injury, but mental health conditions can also interfere with your ability to carry out your job duties.

Workers’ Comp Boards: Contact Information for Every State in 2024

Finding the right webpage for your state’s workers’ compensation board, agency, or commission can be a challenge.

How Long Do You Have to Report a Work Injury in Every State?

State workers’ comp laws require you to follow a certain timeline to report your injury in order to qualify for benefits.

How to Report a Workplace Injury

When you get injured at work, your first step is to report the injury to your employer.

How Long Do You Have to File for Workers' Comp in Every State?

Workers’ compensation law requires you to be proactive in reporting your injury and filing a claim.

How to File for Workers’ Comp in Every State in 2025

If you get injured at work, make sure you receive any necessary medical care and report your injury to a supervisor, manager, or employer as soon as possible.

When Does Workers' Comp Start Paying? How Long You'll Wait By State

We’ll explain the waiting period for workers’ comp payments and discuss how it works in your state.

Average Workers’ Compensation Settlements by Body Part in 2025

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employers across America reported 2.8 million work-related injury and illness cases in 2022 — a 7.5% increase from 2021.

Will Workers' Comp Offer a Settlement Without a Lawyer?

Workplace injuries can impact almost every area of your life. One silver lining is that workers’ comp insurance can pay for your medical bills and lost wages.

Do I Get Paid if I Get Injured at Work?

If something happens to you while you’re on the job, you want to know there’s some safety net.

How Much Does Workers' Comp Pay in Every State in 2024?

What workers’ compensation pays varies by state—though it’s generally a percentage of your average weekly earnings. We’ll go over how states set payment amounts and share how each state calculates payments.

How Long Can You Be on Workers' Comp in Every State?

As you get workers’ comp to cover your medical bills and lost wages after an illness or injury, the question of how long you can get benefits might come to mind. The answer depends on your state’s policies.

Can You Work While on Workers’ Comp?

Whether or not you can work on workers’ comp depends on your situation. Your most likely option is light-duty or part-time work, but doing too much could still mean losing benefits.

What Happens If You Can't Return to Work After an Injury?

If you got injured on the job, it might be tempting to use a few sick days or tough it out to avoid missing work. But what happens if you can’t get back to your normal work activities even with a brief recovery window?

What to Do if Your Workers' Comp Claim is Denied

Your workers’ comp claim was denied. Now what? Your best course of action is to appeal the decision.

11 Reasons a Workers' Comp Claim Might Be Denied

Getting hurt or sick because of your work isn’t an ideal situation, but your employer’s workers’ compensation should cover the cost of your medical bills and some of your lost wages while you recover.

5 Common Questions About Workers’ Comp Lawyers

An employee who’s injured on the job is eligible to receive workers’ comp insurance, which pays medical bills and for lost wages during recovery.

When Should I Hire a Workers’ Comp Lawyer?

Workers’ compensation will replace some of your wages, but the system is hard to navigate on your own. That’s where a lawyer comes in.

What Does a Workers’ Comp Lawyer Do That I Can’t?

Workers’ comp lawyers are experts who can help you navigate the entire process and receive the benefits you deserve.

How to Find a Workers’ Comp Lawyer

There are many ways to find a lawyer, but here are five tips to help you find a qualified, experienced workers’ comp lawyer...

How Much a Workers’ Comp Lawyer Costs in Every State in 2024

As you start to navigate the workers’ compensation process, hiring a workers' comp lawyer can greatly simplify the medical care for you.

4 Signs of a Good Workers' Comp Lawyer (And 4 Bad Signs)

Finding representation for your workers’ compensation case can be a challenge. When vetting workers’ comp lawyers, it is important to listen carefully to distinguish a good workers' comp lawyer from an inefficient one.

Can You Fire Your Workers’ Comp Lawyer?

Yes, you can absolutely fire your workers’ comp lawyer and replace them with a different one if you want.

What Are the Odds of Winning a Workers' Comp Case?

If you’ve filed — or are getting ready to file — a workers’ comp case, it’s likely that you have concerns about winning benefits.

What Is Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)?

If you get sick or injured at work, workers’ compensation offers weekly payments and covers your necessary medical care. Those benefits will most likely end once you reach MMI, or maximum medical improvement.

All About Functional Capacity Evaluations for Workers’ Comp

As you receive workers’ compensation benefits, the insurance company may ask you to complete a functional capacity evaluation (FCE).

What is an independent medical exam (IME)?

When you’re trying to get workers’ compensation benefits, quite a few parties come into play. In addition to your employer and their insurance company, you may need to visit multiple doctors.

When Will Workers' Comp Offer a Settlement?

If you got injured or sick at work, you’re not alone. Private companies in the United States reported 2.6 million workplace injuries and illnesses in 2021.

Does Surgery Increase Your Workers’ Comp Settlement?

If you’re wondering how surgery would impact your workers' comp benefits, you’re not alone. Surgery can increase, or decrease, your workers' comp settlement amount depending on the surgery type and surgery timing.

Is Workers’ Comp Taxable in 2024?

Most people don’t have to think about how workers’ comp works until they need it. So when you do need it after a workplace injury, plenty of questions will come up.

Can You Get Workers' Comp After Leaving Your Job?

Employees have a right to workers' compensation benefits after an injury or illness that occurs in their workplace. That's true even if they get fired, quit, or resign.

Short-Term Disability and Workers’ Comp: the Facts, the Myths, and Your Rights

This article explains the differences between the workers comp and short-term disability so you can determine which program is the best next step for you.

Your Guide to California Workers' Comp in 2024

After a workplace injury, workers’ compensation insurance will replace some of your wages and cover the cost of medical care while you recover.

Your Georgia Workers' Compensation Guide for 2024

While the Peach State can be a great place to live and work, what happens if you get injured or sick on the job and then you can’t work while you recover?

Georgia Workers' Comp Settlement Charts for 2024

There’s no single chart that will tell you how much you’ll get in a workers’ comp settlement in Georgia, but you can estimate the amount you’ll get based on benefit pay rates in the state.

Workers' Comp in Massachusetts: What You Need To Know

The workers compensation process differs drastically between states. Here’s how to apply for, and receive, the benefits you’re entitled in Massachusetts.

Workers’ Comp in New York: Everything You Need to Know

You may qualify for workers’ comp if you get injured or sick on the job and you work for a New York employer who withholds taxes from your paychecks.

Ohio Workers' Compensation: A Guide for 2024

Many people who think they wouldn’t qualify for workers’ comp actually do, especially when they have a lawyer to help them apply. Here’s how workers’ comp works in Ohio.

Ohio Workers' Comp Settlement Charts for 2024

Your workers’ comp settlement amount will depend on a variety of factors, including the severity of your injury, future income you could lose because of your injury, and the cost of any future medical treatment.

Amazon Workers’ Comp: What to Do if You're Injured at Work in 2024

Injuries in Amazon warehouses are common and some Amazon employees have struggled to get the benefits they deserve. At Compass Disability, we’ve helped more workers’ comp clients from Amazon than any other employer.

Dollar General Workers' Compensation: How to File a Claim

Learn how Dollar General employees injured on the job can qualify for workers' compensation benefits.

FedEx Workers' Compensation: How to File a Claim in 2024

If you were injured while working at FedEx, here’s everything you need to know.

UPS Workers' Comp: What to Do After a Work Injury in 2024

If you are a UPS employee with a work injury, learn how you can qualify for workers' compensation benefits.

Exploring the Most (and Least) Dangerous States for Workers

We rank all 50 U.S. states for workplace safety. Find out how safe your state is and learn about high-risk industries and common on-the-job injuries.

Heat Wave Workforce Report: Safety, Income, and Career Concerns Revealed

In the wake of another scorching heat wave, workers face the physical, mental, and financial repercussions of extreme heat. On average, 70% of heat-exposed workers experience heat exhaustion at work.

Inside the Transport Sector: Uncovering Workers’ Thoughts on UPS Strike

UPS workers have threatened to strike, and the potential ramifications of this disruption on the global supply chain prompted us to survey over 200 transportation workers for their insights.

Mind-Body Connection: Exploring the Link Between Mental Health and Workplace Injuries

We'll explore the link between physical injuries and mental health; the science behind the connection, the prevalence of the problem, and how you can get help when those storm clouds roll in.

Understanding Your Rights After a Workplace Injury

It is possible to get help and compensation even if your boss isn’t in your corner — in fact, it’s your legal right! Here's how to claim the financial protection you deserve.

How Much Is a Workers' Comp Carpal Tunnel Settlement?

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when the median nerve — which runs through the wrist — is pinched or compressed.

Target Workers’ Compensation: Who Qualifies & How to File

Roughly two-thirds of Target employees say it’s a great place to work, but on-the-job injuries still happen.

Costco Workers’ Comp: Who Qualifies & How to File in 2024

Costco has been cited as having some of the happiest employees in the nation and has ranked as one of the best employers in the world.

Your Guide to Home Depot Workers’ Compensation

Injuries are more common in home supply stores like Home Depot than in the average workplace.

Workers’ Comp at Lowe's: Who Qualifies & How to File

Lowe’s is the second-largest home improvement chain in the United States (after Home Depot).

Walmart Workers’ Comp: What to Do After a Work Injury

Walmart is the world's largest retailer with over 2 million employees. With a workforce this large and a multitude of roles, it’s common for workplace accidents to occur.

Tesla Workers’ Comp: What to Do After Your Injury

Injuries at Tesla, the world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer, are not uncommon.

Kroger Workers’ Comp: Who Can Qualify & How to File

To feed so many Americans, Kroger employs more than 430,000 people across the country.

A Guide to Workers’ Compensation for Nurses

From exposure to other people’s contagious illnesses to the burden of lifting and moving patients, it’s no surprise that nurses are commonly injured on the job.

A Guide to Workers’ Comp for Truck Drivers

Truck driving gives you a way to earn a competitive salary while maintaining some level of freedom, but it’s not without its risks.

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