Injuries Covered by Workers’ Compensation in New York

For an injury to be covered by workers’ compensation, it needs to have occurred while you were doing something on behalf of your employer. This could include working at your regular job site, traveling to another job site, or attending an official company-sponsored event such as a holiday party for all employees.

Types of Injuries Covered by Workers’ Compensation

Specific categories of injuries covered by workers’ compensation in New York include:

• Injuries from accidents. This includes injuries such as a sprained ankle, broken arm, or a cut requiring stitches. Some injuries from accidents will require little or no time missed from work, while others can be quite serious.
• Worsening of a pre-existing condition. If you suffer an injury that worsens a pre-existing condition, such as hurting your back after you’ve already been diagnosed with arthritis in your spine, you are still entitled to receive benefits.
• Repetitive stress injuries. Repetitive stress injuries occur when someone performs the same motion many times over an extended period of time. These injuries are covered if they can be traced back to the claimant’s employment. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome is a common repetitive stress injury among office workers who spend much of their day typing, and plumbers or carpenters often struggle with tendonitis.
• Occupational disease. An occupational disease develops as a result of exposure to specific workplace hazards. One example might be getting cancer as a result of working with toxic cleaning chemicals.
• Stress-related mental health conditions. New York does allow workers’ compensation claims for mental health conditions caused by work-related stress. However, these cases are difficult to prove and typically require that you experienced a traumatic event such as a workplace robbery or that you suffered a serious physical injury that also led to mental distress.

How O’Connor Law Can Help

Although a wide range of conditions qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, getting access to the benefits you deserve is not always easy. Working with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney ensures that you have someone available to advocate for your interests throughout the process. Contact O’Connor Law today to schedule a free, no-obligation initial consultation.