According to Virginia law, an injury that occurs by an accident may be covered under Virginia Workers’ Compensation as long as the injury occurs during the course of, and arising out of, your employment. This means that the injury may have occurred during working hours, while you were working, or in another instance where your employer had some authority over your actions. Sometimes employers will fight about whether or not the injury happened during the course of employment which is why it is important to have an attorney who specializes in the intricacies of workers’ compensation claims.
The injury may have resulted from a sudden accident or event, also known as an “injury by accident.” Therefore it is important when you are reporting your accident to explain exactly what you were doing at the time you first felt pain. Accurately reporting the details of your accident can be vital to the success of your case, especially when it can clarify it was an “injury by accident” rather than a prior ongoing injury. This is especially important when filling out initial paperwork with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission. If you already filed with the VWCC and did not specify it as an injury by accident, this does not mean your claim is lost, however you should contact a workers’ compensation attorney to help you.
If you have been injured on the job, call the workers’ compensation attorneys at ReidGoodwin today at (804) 415-7800 for a free no obligation consultation.