Significance

• According to the Texas Department of Insurance, workers compensation is an insurance program run by the state government. In Texas, this program will pay for a portion of an individual's medical bills and lost wages if a person is injured at work. There are 26 worker compensation offices in Texas that handle insurance claims for job-related injuries or illnesses.
  
  

Benefits

• There are four main benefits that can be paid to an employee. The benefits include medical, work income, burial and death benefits. If an employee dies, the state of Texas will pay for some of the funeral expenses and offer the family 13 weeks of the individual's wages. The 13 weeks of wages are only paid if the employee had a spouse, parent, independent child or grandchild that is affected financially by the death.
  
  

Medical Treatments

• The largest part of workers compensation is the medical benefits that are immediately available to an injured employee. However, the compensation does not cover the entire medical bill. Employers must also pay for mileage reimbursement if an individual must travel more than 20 miles for medical treatment.
  
  

Electing Coverage

• Not every employer provides workers compensation. The state gives all employers the option of taking the coverage. However, most employers do not want to risk litigation and many choose to cover their employees under compensation laws. Many employee injuries are severe enough to prohibit a person from working, and when that happens, the state pays so that the injured person can maintain an income.
  
  

Fraud

• Because there are hundreds of cases where individuals attempt to take advantage of Texas Workers Compensation, numerous fraud laws are in place to discourage false claims and statements. Employers are given signs to look for so they can tell whether a worker is committing fraud. Some of the signs are injuries that occur late Friday or early Monday morning, a claim that is made in anticipation of termination, or an injury that is inconsistent with normal job duties. It is difficult to determine whether a case is bona fide. Those decisions are normally made with the help of a doctor and private investigator.