Missouri Workers' Compensation Regulations
Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance intended to cover injuries sustained by employees while working for a company or another person. Every state must have workers’ compensation laws, but regulations vary by state. Understanding Missouri workers’ compensation regulations is important for workers and employers alike.
Employers in Missouri should be aware of the state’s workers’ compensation laws to ensure their employees are protected and to avoid legal issues should an accident occur.
However, these regulations exist to protect workers. If you’re a Missouri worker, knowing the state’s workers’ compensation regulations can help you protect yourself when an on-the-job injury happens.
These laws ensure that workers are protected from the financial hardships accompanying a work-related injury. NST Law helps Missouri workers navigate workers’ compensation matters so that every worker receives the financial relief they’re entitled to after a workplace injury.
Table Of Contents
- Missouri Workers Need Workers’ Compensation
- Companies Required to Carry Workers’ Compensation in Missouri
- Exceptions to Missouri Workers’ Compensation Coverage Requirements
- Missouri Workers’ Compensation for Federal Employees
- Types of Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Missouri
- Responding to a Missouri Workplace Injury
- Is there a time limit for a Missouri workers’ compensation claim?
- Why was my Missouri workers’ compensation claim denied?
- Can my employer fire me if I hire a Missouri workers’ compensation lawyer?
- NST Law Protects Missouri Workers’ Rights
Missouri Workers Need Workers’ Compensation
Missouri workers’ compensation is an essential form of protection. A workplace injury can be a huge financial setback, resulting in missing wages, lost employment and significant medical bills.
A workplace injury can lead to permanent disability, reduced or lost earning ability, and health issues like chronic pain and disease in serious situations.
Standard workers’ compensation covers physical injuries sustained in the workplace. Examples include falls, cuts, burns and broken bones. In 2014, the state of Missouri updated the laws regarding workers’ compensation coverage requirements.
Today, workers’ compensation in Missouri covers injury or death due to occupational diseases caused by chronic exposure to toxins. Employers also now have the option of carrying mesothelioma liability coverage.
With the update, Missouri law also covers work-related psychological distress in police officers and firefighters.
Companies Required to Carry Workers’ Compensation in Missouri
The Missouri workers’ compensation regulations outline when an employer must carry workers’ compensation coverage.
The general rule in Missouri is that any company with more than five employees must carry workers’ compensation. This rule applies to all types of employees, including:
- Seasonal
- Part-time
- Casual laborers
- Family members
One exception is the construction industry. Because construction work is high-risk and statistically more likely to lead to a serious accident, every Missouri construction company must carry workers’ compensation, even if the company only has one employee.
Exceptions to Missouri Workers’ Compensation Coverage Requirements
Missouri workers’ compensation laws ensure that the vast majority of workers are protected under state workers’ compensation requirements. However, the law does offer some coverage exceptions. Under the law, some employers in Missouri are not required to carry workers’ compensation requirements. These include:
- Sole proprietors
- Members of a partnership
- Farm workers
- Hired workers in a private home
- Workers occasionally hired by a private household
- Real estate agents
- Direct sellers
- Volunteers of tax-exempt organizations
- Sports officials and contest workers for youth sports
- Federal employees
In these jobs, an injury will need to be covered by personal insurance. A Missouri workers’ compensation lawyer could provide more advice regarding your legal options if you were injured in any of these roles.
Missouri Workers’ Compensation for Federal Employees
There are more than 87,000 federal employees in the state of Missouri. Federal employment spans a broad group of people, including judges, police officers and post office workers. Federal employees aren’t protected by the same Missouri state regulations that apply to other workers.
Instead, federal workers are protected by federal workers’ compensation laws. A federal workers’ compensation lawyer can still help you maximize your claim and fight back against unfair treatment, as the process of filing a claim can be complex.
Types of Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Missouri
Missouri offers employers a few options for how they choose to offer workers’ compensation. Employers can opt for either an insurance carrier or self-insurance.
Using an insurance carrier involves choosing or creating a workers’ compensation policy through an existing insurance company. The Missouri Department of Insurance offers employers an online search tool for finding information about workers’ compensation coverage plans and rates.
Self-insurance exists for employers who want to cover the cost of any job-related injury expenses. Employers must demonstrate they can meet this financial obligation if they opt for self-insurance.
Employers choosing self-insurance can choose either individual self-insurance or group trust self-insurance, which pools insurance funds with other employers to reduce costs.
Responding to a Missouri Workplace Injury
For a workers’ compensation claim to be handled correctly, employers and employees must follow the procedure in the Code of State Regulations. In Missouri, the process for injured workers is:
- Make a report of the injury
- See a doctor
- Seek benefits
- Resolve the claim
The claim can be appealed if these steps don’t satisfy the employee’s medical and financial needs.
Workplace safety is the shared responsibility of both the employer and the employees. Clear safety protocols and a culture of valuing safety can help avoid dangerous or deadly workplace accidents.
Is there a time limit for a Missouri workers’ compensation claim?
Missouri workers’ compensation regulations place a two-year time limit on pursuing a workers’ compensation claim. Although two years might sound like along time, it’s not. The claims process takes time, and you need to plan for issues like a low offer or a denied claim, which can make proceedings take longer.
Why was my Missouri workers’ compensation claim denied?
The workers’ compensation claims process is complex. It’s easy to make a mistake or fail to properly submit supporting documentation. It’s best to work with a lawyer, as legal representation greatly increases your chances of better coverage.
If your workers’ compensation claim has been denied, you should contact a lawyer promptly. An attorney can help you prepare and submit an appeal to gain coverage while there’s still time.
Can my employer fire me if I hire a Missouri workers’ compensation lawyer?
It’s illegal for an employer to fire you or retaliate over a workers’ compensation claim. Your employer is legally required to provide workers’ compensation insurance, and you have every right to use it.
If you’ve experienced employer threats of retaliation over a workers’ compensation claim in Missouri, an NST Law attorney can help.
NST Law Protects Missouri Workers’ Rights
NST Law is a national personal injury firm with a strong track record of helping workers gain the compensation they need after a workplace injury. Over the past 30 years, our team has recovered more than $2 billion for our clients.
NST Law is home to a team of over 30 attorneys across the United States, with multiple locations in Missouri. Workers in Missouri who need support with a workers’ compensation claim can find NST Law offices in the following cities:
NST Law has a history of gaining workers’ compensation that reaches six figures. We know how to make a workers’ compensation policy go to work for the people they exist to protect—the workers of Missouri.
Contact NST Law to speak with an experienced Missouri workers’ compensation lawyer for legal support navigating Missouri workers’ compensation.
Contact us for a free consultation now so that we can review your case and decide how we can best help you.
1440 Kurre Lane
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Phone: 573-381-0510
Fax: 573-803-1389