Getting injured while at work is a big deal. Not only could your injury dramatically affect your life and ability to work in the future, but it might also be grounds for a lawsuit. According to Investopedia, approximately nine out of 10 people in the U.S. workforce are protected under workers' comp insurance. Requirements for workers' compensation vary from state to state, and not all employees are covered in some states. If you get injured on the job, a workers' compensation lawyer can help you navigate the details of your case. If you've been injured, there are a few ways you can tell if your injury qualifies as a work injury.

You're on the Payroll

When a workers' compensation lawyer first looks at the details of your case, they'll want to know if you're currently on the payroll of this employer. It's imperative that you can prove you were on the payroll at the time of the injury. If you're no longer on that payroll, then you would have to provide proof that you were on the payroll when the injury happened.

You Were on the Clock

Once it's been established that you're currently on the payroll for that employer or you were at the time of the injury, then you would need to prove that when the injury took place you were on the clock as well. Even if you're a salaried employee, you need to have a way to prove that the injury took place during your regular work hours. Most companies have a way of logging when employees are actively working even if they're not hourly employees.

You Were on Employer Time

If an injury happens off the clock but as a result of something the employer had instructed the employee to do, the injury could still be considered to be a work-related injury. There would need to be sufficient proof that the employee had been instructed by the employer to do something that resulted in injury.

You Were on Site

This is yet another way to prove if an injury qualifies as a work-related injury or not. If an injury happens anywhere on site, it can often be proven to be a job-related injury. You need to have adequate proof of where the injury took place, however, to ensure that your workers' compensation lawyer has sufficient evidence against your employer.

If you've had an injury, and you believe that it might qualify as a work-related injury, you need a knowledgeable workers' compensation lawyer on your side. Please contact Curtis, Porter & Adams, PLLC.