If you have an injury on the job in Virginia you have a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission is the court for anyone who has an on-the-job injury and has a worker’s compensation claim in Virginia. The Compensation Commission operates in the form of “Award Orders.”
This means you are not officially covered for future medical benefits or for lost wages unless the Workers’ Compensation Commission has entered an order that says you have an award enter entitling you to ______ dollars per week and for lifetime medical benefits for injuries to specific body parts. These award orders are the most important things to happen in a Virginia workers’ compensation case. If you don’t have an award order for lost wages you may be walking into the trap the insurance company has set for you. See our blog on Job Hunting.
Even if you have an award order entered by the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission, it may set forth specific body parts such as L4-5 which seems to indicate a back injury, but not have anything mentioning that injury you had to your neck or shoulder. Everybody part that is injured in the workers’ compensation case needs to have an award order covering it so you are entitled to future medical benefits. If you have not filed a Claim for Benefits with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission within two years of your accident for the lost wages you are entitled to and for the body parts you need lifetime medical benefits for, you will not have protected your rights. If you have questions about these issues or anything else related to your workers’ compensation case, please give us a call at (804) 294-2966.