A worker that suffers from a work related injury may call on a law that is called the workmans comp settlements law. This law covers two primary types of injuries.

The first category we will call "instant" and the other one "long-term”. Let's start with instant injuries first: as the name suggests, these types of injuries occur in an instant. They can be a consequence of a defective machine or a result from an accident, for instance. Here's a typical example: one of few of coworkers is driving around on the company's campus and hits you with a company car. And as a result from that, you experience injuries.

Or here is another example: let's say you drive in one of your company's cars and the brakes fail as you attempt to stop, and therefore you crash into a wall and get injured. A third scenario: imagine you work in a warehouse and one of your fellow coworkers accidentally drops a piece of furniture on your leg and you get hurt.

All the three aforementioned scenarios relate to injuries that would have happened in an instant. And therefore they are covered by the workmans comp settlement insurance. Apparently, all three examples were based on the fact that the injuries occurred as you were on your job. Under the workman's comp settlement law most of the injuries that happen during work hours are covered. That does not necessarily mean that the injury has to occur on the premises of your company. If you get hurt with in the scope of your employment, you are typically being covered.

This does not include your daily commute, though. And they are also some injuries that may happen at work, which are not covered by workers comp insurance. If one of the following reasons turn out to be the cause of your injury, the insurance will not be liable to cover the damage: if the injury occurred outside the scope of your employment.

Here is an example. Let's say you work in a corporate office. You meet with your colleagues for lunch and decide to talk a walk. You slip and fall. Since this injury occurred outside the course of your employment, you wouldn’t be covered.

Another good example is the so-called horseplay. For example you and a coworker throw jokingly paper balls at each other. And for some reason you get hurt. Again, this is an example where the accident occurred outside scope of your employment, and therefore the insurance would not be liable to cover your injury. Further to that, even if an accident happens doing the regular course of your work, but it turned out that you were intoxicated from drugs or alcohol; the workmen's comp settlement law would not cover for you.

And here is another reason: if your employer provided you with safety equipment, but you for some reason decided not to use it, and as a result from that you suffered an injury, you are obviously not covered.

And finally, let's have a look at the so-called long-term injuries.
A typical example for a long-term injury is when a worker was diagnosed with an asbestos induced disease, such as mesothelioma or asbestosis. This is a so called occupational disease. Another long-term injury that might be covered under the workman's comp settlement law is, if any damage to your physical or emotional health that is a direct result from work requirements.