In general, you are eligible to see if you can receive worker’s compensation if you:
- Were injured on the job
- Were injured or became sick as a result of your job
- Were injured or became sick while traveling for work
Note that you won’t qualify for worker’s compensation if you were intoxicated or on drugs when you were injured, or if your illness is a result of poor lifestyle choices.
During a worker’s compensation exam, your doctor examines you to determine whether or not your illness or injury is work-related. To do so, they ask you questions about:
- The nature of your symptoms
- When your symptoms began
- Any preexisting conditions
- How your current illness or injury prevents you from working
- How your everyday life has been affected by your symptoms
- How you became injured or how your illness started
They also perform a physical examination to see for themselves how you’ve been injured or the extent of your illness. Once they’ve completed the exam, the doctor writes a written report detailing their findings, which they then submit to you or your lawyer.