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Do You Qualify For Workers' Compensation In Maryland?

Written by
ruxandra
June 17th, 2016

As you may know, every state in the U.S. except for Texas has workers' compensation laws. But what you didn't know is that not all workers qualify or workers' compensation in Maryland. Firstly, the company you are working for must have a workers' compensation insurance. Secondly, only employees are eligible for workers' compensation in MD, and not everyone working for a company is an employee. If you have been injured in a work-related accident, you need to get in touch with a personal injury lawyer from Maryland and find out what legal options you have to recover damages.Employees, contractors, and volunteersYou should know that only employees are eligible for workers' compensation in MD if they work for a covered company. If you are an independent contractor or a volunteer, you may not be eligible for workers' compensation. Many times, companies hire people as independent contractors to avoid this kind of legal obligations, but this doesn't mean that you are automatically considered an independent contractor if your employer says so. It just means that you will need a good Annapolis injury attorney on your side to help prove your status in the company.To help avoid situations where an employer tries to evade legal responsibility and hire people as independent contractors, the law focuses on several factors that can determine an employee's status:

  • If they have a number of mandatory work hours
  • If they only work for that employer
  • If they promote their independent services to a public
  • If they own the materials and tools necessary for their work
  • If they have the possibility to turn down a work request

Besides the situation where an employer hires an individual as an independent contractor to avoid legal responsibility, there are also some general exceptions to workers' compensation. While your employer may choose to voluntarily cover you, they are not obliged by the law if you are a taxi driver, farm worker, seasonal worker, minister, domestic worker or a commissioned real estate agent. However, these exceptions do not apply to all the states in the U.S. To find out if you are eligible for workers' compensation, you should reach out to an Annapolis injury lawyer.Personal injury lawyer from MarylandReceiving workers' compensation benefits can be tricky if you try to do it on your own. You need a good Annapolis injury attorney to help you formulate your claim. It is always a good idea to consult with a lawyer and find out how you can improve your chances of recovering workers' compensation. Contact the best Annapolis injury lawyer at (443) 569-3950 or send us an email at chris@annapolisaccidentattorney.com. We offer a free assessment of your case so that you can understand more about your situation.