Professionals in any career can get hurt on the job. All it takes is a momentary lapse in judgment or a slip of the wrist for a job task to cause serious physical harm. Most employees who get hurt on the job are able to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.
However, employers sometimes question the legitimacy of a benefits claim. In scenarios where the worker could theoretically be at fault, they may struggle to secure benefits. Most employers require that workers submit to a drug test immediately after an injury on the job.
Does failing a test always lead to a denial of benefits?
Workers could still qualify for benefits
Some workers misunderstand the rules that govern workers’ compensation so completely that they do not even file a claim after getting hurt on the job. They immediately assume that they might fail a drug test. If they use marijuana out of work, for example, they are likely aware that the drug could show up in any tests they take for weeks after ingesting the substance.
While it is true that a failed drug test can complicate a worker’s compensation claim, failing a test does not automatically eliminate eligibility. Employees could still qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
Their employers generally need to show that they were impaired while on the job and that their impairment was the cause of or a contributing factor toward their injury. If the company can’t meet that strict standard, then the worker may still be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
Anyone who fails a drug test can expect potential controversy and may need support as they pursue workers’ compensation benefits. Discussing a complicated workers’ compensation claim with a lawyer can help those worried about benefit eligibility to pursue the most favorable outcome possible under the circumstances.
