Workers are covered by workers’ compensation in Nebraska as long as they are employees of a business in most cases. There are some exceptions, like those who are railroad employees, volunteers, independent contractors or federal employees. Household domestic servants and some employees who work in agricultural operations are also covered as long as their employers opted into workers’ compensation policies.
An employee is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits when the injury was caused in the course of the person’s employment, when the employee was not willfully negligent when the accident happened, while the employee was performing normal jobs usual for the trade or profession and when the injury occurred in Nebraska. If the contract of hire was made in Nebraska or if the employee was out of state while principally located for work in the state, then the employee also qualifies for benefits.
What kinds of benefits do these employees receive?
The first major benefit is medical expense coverage. All reasonable hospital or medical services, drugs, prosthetic devices and other supplies must be covered by the employer’s workers’ compensation coverage. Wage loss benefits are also provided after the seventh day of disability due to injury.
After an injury, you deserve to get the best medical care and assistance with your lost wages if you miss over a week of work. Your attorney can help you apply for your worker’s compensation coverage if you can’t do so yourself or help you understand the benefits you should be receiving through your employer. If your employer did not carry worker’s compensation insurance, he or she may have been in violation of the law.
Source: Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services, “Rights & Obligations under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Law,” accessed Dec. 29, 2016