Before the coronavirus pandemic broke out, injury-based claims vastly outnumbered the amount of disease-based claims. In the recent weeks, however, we have seen numbers adjust and reveal an entirely different story about which type of claims are being filed more frequently. Many states are implementing new laws and policies that are covering essential workers who are infected by COVID-19 due to their occupation under a different type of protection. The workers’ compensation system as we know it has changed completely in response to COVID-19. Not only are illness-related claims on the rise, but the conditions under which workers receive compensation have been modified as well.

Disease-Based Claims 

The COVID-19 outbreak has impacted many businesses and employees through both disrupting normal operations and increasing the risk of employee illness at the workplace. Although a majority of employers are doing everything in their power to protect their employees from the virus, many essential workplaces cannot entirely avoid the threat of an outbreak on-site. The spread of coronavirus amongst employees and customers has led to a sharp increase in the amount of workers’ compensation claims filed for illness. If an employee contracts COVID-19 and is unable to work, the effects can be as detrimental, if not more, than a physical injury. If you have become ill in direct response to your required job duties, you may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits and should contact an attorney to learn about your options.

Decrease in Workplace Injuries 

Although it is unfortunate that the number of disease-based claims is climbing, the opposite is true for injury-based claims. Many businesses are either closed or have drastically reduced their operations which has led to less on-the-job injuries. The nature of workers’ compensation has changed and is now serving many more people with diseases than injuries, which is extremely uncommon. In fact, on average, 95% of workers’ compensation claims in the past have been injury-based demonstrating a significant difference in the risks of suffering from an injury compared to an illness at work. Regardless of the fact that many claims currently filed are in response to COVID-19, any workers’ compensation claim is still valid and important. If you have experienced a workplace illness OR injury, do not hesitate to contact an attorney today. At Poirier Law Firm, we can assist in classifying your claim and building a case to ensure you justly receive your compensation!