Injured Working from Home in Tennessee: Know Your Rights
Working from home has become more common, but it comes with its own set of challenges, especially for workers’ compensation. If you’re injured working from home, you might wonder how this affects your workers’ comp claim – or if you can even make a claim to begin with.
As a Memphis workers’ compensation lawyer, I can help you prepare and know what to expect.
How Tennessee Workers’ Comp Law Applies
The Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Act provides coverage for both full-time and part-time employees, regardless of your work environment. That means whether you work remotely, in an office, or follow a hybrid schedule that includes both on-site and home-based work, you’re protected under this law.
However, reality can look a bit different. Mainly, it can be very difficult to prove your at-home injuries occurred during a work-related task.
For example, these injuries would definitely count as on-the-job in an office context:
- tripping while getting coffee in the kitchen
- hurting your back while adjusting the printer
- falling down the stairs on your way to answer a call
But how do you prove they happened during work if they occur at home?
Reporting Your Injury
Just like in a traditional office setting, you need to report your injury as soon as it happens.
Whether you’ve slipped on a wet floor, hurt your back lifting something, or suffered a repetitive strain injury from typing too much, you must notify your employer right away.
Make sure to document everything, including:
- how the injury occurred
- what time it happened
- the task that led to the injury, and
- any immediate medical attention you received.
Take photos if possible, and note if you had any witnesses to the injury.
Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim
After you’ve reported your injury and collected evidence, you’ll need to file a workers’ compensation claim.
The process is similar to filing a claim for an injury that occurred in a traditional workplace, but it may involve additional steps to prove your home setup and injury related to your work.
Make sure to follow your employer’s guidelines for filing claims and take care to complete your paperwork correctly.
Handling Insurance Companies and Getting Medical Care
You have the right to receive medical treatment for your injury, whether you work from home or in a traditional office.
Make sure to get the appropriate care and keep all medical records related to your injury. These records will help support your workers’ compensation claim.
Remember, insurance companies may be skeptical about home-based injuries and will likely try to minimize their payout. This is where a skilled workers’ compensation lawyer can be invaluable.
As a Memphis workers’ comp lawyer, I help you navigate the insurance companies and fight for the benefits you deserve. I also help you understand early on what to expect, so you can go into this fight fully prepared.
Legal Help for a Complex Workers’ Comp Claim in Memphis
Navigating workers’ compensation claims can be complex, especially with the added layer of working from home. If you’re unsure how to proceed, or if you face challenges with your claim, you need legal help.
Our workers’ compensation lawyers provide guidance, help you understand your rights, and fight to get you the compensation you need.
We make it our job to get you compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and long-term care, as needed. And we don’t make a penny unless and until we win your case.
If you’re injured while working from home, it’s important to take the right steps so you can prove your claim. You likely have a more complex case than normal, and you should really get legal help to have the best chances.
Our Memphis attorneys have helped hundreds of people get the workers’ comp they need – and we’re here to help you, too. Contact us online today or call 901-327-2100 to learn more about how we can assist you.