Oklahoma Workers Compensation Death Benefits

You may already know that becoming injured or falling ill while at work could entitle you to workers’ compensation benefits. What you may not know is that if you die as a result of a workplace injury or disease, your loved ones may be able to collect what is known as death benefits. These benefits can include funeral expenses, weekly payments, or a lump sum award. The amount that your loved ones can receive will depend on a variety of factors. Receiving workers’ compensation death benefits in Oklahoma requires making a claim and proving that the death was the result of an event that occurred at work.

Workers’ Compensation Explained

The law in Oklahoma says that if you are injured or die while performing work-related duties, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation laws were designed to give employees and their loved ones an avenue to receive compensation for work-related injuries and death without having to go through the expensive and time-consuming process of filing a lawsuit against their employers.

Employers in most states are required to carry what is known as workers’ compensation insurance. While workers’ compensation insurance benefits the employee, the employees are not required to pay for it. The cost of this insurance is paid for by the employer.

Workers’ Compensation Death Benefits

In order for your loved ones to collect death benefits, they must file a claim. However, not all deaths that occur while at work are covered under workers’ compensation. If you happen to die from natural causes at work, your loved ones may not be able to collect death benefits. Your death must be the result of a workplace injury or disease. An example would be death caused by a car accident at work or forklift falling on you while you are in the loading bay at a work site.

The amount of compensation your loved ones can receive is described in Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation laws. This amount may depend on your marital status, your wages at the time of your death, and the number of dependents that you have. The more dependents that you have at the time of your death, the higher amount of compensation your loved ones are likely to receive. In addition to covering the cost of your funeral, they may have the option of receiving weekly cash benefits or a lump-sum award. If you were hospitalized or received medical treatment before you passed away, then any bills associated with that treatment may be covered as well.

Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

Has your loved one died on the job in Oklahoma? If so, then you might be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. However, workers’ compensation coverage in Oklahoma is complicated, and claims can get denied for the most seemingly insignificant reasons. So, if your intent is to get these benefits after your loved one passed away, then you should speak with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. With years of experience representing clients with Oklahoma workers’ compensation claims, Kania Law Office knows how to help you get the benefits you deserve. For more information about your rights and legal options after an Oklahoma work-related injury, feel free to talk with the Tulsa workers comp attorneys at Kania Law Office by calling (918) 743-2233 or by contacting us online.