“I Lost My Job Because of COVID-19 – Do I Qualify for Workers’ Compensation?”

Have you or a loved one lost your job due to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you want to know if you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits?

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the whole world, gravely affecting the health and economic sectors. Besides the obvious health threat it represents, the outbreak has hit companies hard, raising the unemployment level and lowering production in many industries.

During the last year, many people had to be laid off because of a company’s limited activity or because of the COVID-19 threat as a health hazard. If you were one of those people, you might be wondering if you can receive workers’ compensation benefits. 

Here’s are some factors to consider.

Were You Fired Because of COVID-19?

First of all, it’s important to determine if the cause of your termination was, indeed, the coronavirus pandemic. If your employer has fired you due to unsatisfactory performance, you might not be eligible for receiving workers’ compensation. 

If you believe that your firing was unfair and the cause was improperly defined, or if you were harassed at work to make your job harder, discuss this with an attorney. Your employer does have the right to fire you if they can’t afford to keep your job position anymore, but that doesn’t mean that your workers’ comp benefits will stop being paid. 

Were You on Light-Duty After an Injury?

If you were working on light-duty after suffering a work-related injury, then you should generally be eligible for a lump sum or benefits paid, even if you lost your job due to COVID-19. 

The workers’ compensation system is designed to protect workers in case they are not capable of working or can only work at a limited level due to work-related injuries. It’s meant to provide financial aid to cover medical costs and lost income.

Your lump sum or weekly payment will generally continue and be calculated based on your medical condition. Authorities will take different factors into account, such as whether you are close to MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement) or not, how much you were receiving before losing your job, and so on. 

Calculating the benefits you should receive is done by putting together all these factors. Our St. Louis work injury attorney has the experience of previous cases over the last 25+ years and can help you understand what you are legally entitled to after a work injury.

Speak With a St. Louis Workers Compensation Attorney

Have you or a loved one lost your job due to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you want to know if you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits? Contact a workers’ comp lawyer for a free consultation to discuss the specifics of your case. They will be able to help you understand if your case is worth pursuing or not.