Accidents can happen to any one. Whether they are in the wrong place at the wrong time or they engage in reckless or negligent behavior, accidents can occur at any time and lead to injuries. These injuries can range from minor cuts and bruises to major injuries such as broken bones and paralysis which may lead to the injured party being hospitalized.
If an individual is hospitalized, they will not be able to go to work.If a person is unable to work they are unable to earn a living. So what happens in this scenario? The answer really depends on the type of accident that caused the injury.
There are different kinds of personal injury accidents such as auto accidents, work or workplace related accidents, medical malpractice and others, including fortuitous accident accidents. In case of a purely fortuitous accident, one where the injury was caused by mere chance without fault of the person himself or a third party, the failure to report to work results in non-payment of wage. This is based on the principle of no work no pay. An employer cannot be obligated to pay for a service not rendered. However, if one is covered by insurance, he can claim for compensation for the expenses and wage lost depending on the terms of his insurance policy.
On the other hand, in a car crash accident or any other accident where a third person caused the injury, such person is liable for all the losses and damages reasonably produced by his negligent conduct. Hence, the negligent party is liable for the medical expenses, car repair, as well as lost income of the injured party. The latter pertains to all income which the claimant could have earned had it not been for the injury; this necessarily includes wages for days when they failed to report for work as a result of their injuries. But the employer is not obliged to pay the employee who is absent since he did not perform any work.
There is a different treatment for injuries arising from work or workplace accidents. In this case, the employer is liable to pay for the expenses and losses of the injured employee. An employer is obliged by law to keep the premises of the workplace safe and secure. Any hazard must be removed so that workers can perform their duties without worrying for their safety. Moreover, where the nature of the work exposes an employee to danger or dangerous situations, the employer is required to provide the employees with adequate safety gadgets such as hard hats, gloves, goggles, and face masks. Any employee who fails to report to work due to injuries sustained in the workplace is entitled to compensation. The value of compensation is dependent on the degree of the injury and terms of the insurance. An injury that causes the employee to be absent from work for a long time will usually merit a higher compensation compared to a minor wound.
Lastly, in all three cases, depending on the extent of the injury and the number of absences, an employee can avail of employee benefits provided by law. There are different laws in each state that provides assistance for employees who are injured and are unable to work.