If an injured worker cannot carry out his or her job responsibilities, that same employee stands to lose a source of income. That fact highlights the employee’s need for an alternate source of financial support. Injured employees in Ontario must choose between 2 potential sources of help.

What are the 2 sources of assistance that might be used by one of Ontario’s incapacitated workers?

• WSIB: Help for an employee that was injured at work.
• Disability insurance: help for an employee that got injured outside of the workplace, and now cannot carry out his or her job-related tasks

There are significant features of WSIB benefits, which includes that it serves as source of wage replacement and covers medical expenses. These are benefits that are available regardless of who was at fault. It is provided by the first of currently available social programs for helping Canadian workers. Employer must arrange for medical assessments. If first assessment came from doctor that was unfamiliar with employee’s medical history, a second assessment must be agreed to and arranged.

Only a few limitations can be linked to WSIB benefits

• Injury can be physical or psychological
• Job duties can make a pre-existing condition worse.
• Work injury can increase the employee’s chances for suffering another injury.
• Can be an accidental injury.
• Employee can have a medical problem that was caused by exposure to something in workplace environment.

Personal Injury Lawyer in Mississauga knows the significant features of disability insurance are that it serves as source of income when employee got injured outside of workplace, and, consequently, is now unable to perform his or her job duties. The benefit covers up to 60% of salary and can extend to family, if covered employee dies. This is not a feature included with the WSIB payments. The employer decides on arrangements for the payments and claims. Employer makes first claim, then insurance company takes over and delivers benefits.

Policy holder with disability insurance must deal with a larger number of limitations

• No coverage for someone with a pre-existing condition.
• Known risks at site of injury can lower chances for acceptance of application. Insurer assumes that applicant knew of risks, and had chosen to retain a risky job.
• If insurance company does not like the first medical assessment, it can schedule a second one.

Challenges faced by employee that has sought coverage from either type of insurance

The same employee could be watched by team that intends to carry out video surveillance, hoping to capture some of the applicant’s activities.

The applicant should refrain from sharing comments and pictures on social media networks. The insurance company can find those posts. That same company can then check to see if the applicant has engaged in some activity that he or she has claimed the inability to carry out, due to the effects of the injury.