Making a mistake on the job is stressful, especially when those errors result in injuries. These situations can leave injured workers wondering if they must handle the medical costs, lost wages, and other challenges alone. Can Louisiana workers still receive workers’ compensation benefits if their actions contributed to a workplace accident?
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system.
People injured on the job can generally receive workers’ compensation regardless of whose actions led to that accident. It does not matter if the accident was the result of your mistake, a coworker’s actions or something your employer did or did not do.
This means that workers can receive medical care and compensation even if they contributed to the accident in many cases. For example, a simple mistake can easily cause injuries, especially in workplaces that include equipment like heavy machinery. However, those missteps generally do not disqualify workers from receiving benefits.
There are exceptions.
While the no-fault system covers most workplace injuries, there are exceptions where fault could affect a workers’ compensation claim in Louisiana. For instance:
- Intentional acts: If you hurt yourself on purpose, you will not receive benefits.
- Drug or alcohol influence: If the accident occurred because you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you might not be able to receive workers’ compensation.
- Safety violations: If you knowingly break safety rules and get injured, this could affect your claim.
- Starting a fight: If an employee starts a fight for no reason, they might not get workers’ compensation benefits.
- Horseplay: If an employee was playing around and was hurt as a result, they might not be able to get benefits.
In Louisiana, fault is generally not a factor in a worker’s ability to receive workers’ compensation. This no-fault system helps workers focus on recovery and return to their roles in the workforce as efficiently and safely as possible.