Will Workers' Comp Pay For Non-Accidental
Work Injuries in Rhode Island?
Question
I was injured at work but it wasn’t an accident- will workers’ comp cover it?
Answer
Workers’ Comp can cover non-accidental work injuries.
Injuries Don't Need to be an Accident
Workers’ compensation can cover non-accidental work-related injuries. There are different types of situations where an employee who is injured would be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, even in the absence of a discreet or acute “accident” or “injury.”
Injuries Build Up Over Time
We typically see these types of cases when an employee must come out of the workforce due to repetitive work activities that, over time, become disabling them to the point that they are no longer able to work full duty. As long as we can show that this disability is the result of an occupational illness or disease, or by repetitive work activity that cumulatively, over time, resulted in the inability to work, then there would be a workers’ compensation case.