With the number of people working from home on the rise, you might imagine that workers' compensation claims would dwindle. However, even if you're working remotely, it's possible to sustain an injury while performing tasks for your employer. Here's what you need to know about filing for workers' compensation if you get injured while working from home.

Document the Injury

If you're working from home away from the supervision of other co-workers, documenting your injury is more important than ever. In order to file a valid workers' comp claim, you have to prove that you were performing work tasks when your injury occurred. Keeping a careful record of your work tasks can help show that your actions were benefiting your employer at the time you were injured. For example, if you took home a piece of office equipment, such as a computer provided by your employer, and then an equipment malfunction caused your injury, you should be able to show that you were engaged in work tasks at the time of the injury. Make a record of:

• The task you were performing
• The time the injury occurred
• The time you reported your injury to your employer
• The time you sought medical attention

All of these details can help support your claim for compensation. A workers' compensation lawyer can help you know what documentation to submit with your claim.

Repetitive Injuries

It's possible that your work injury didn't occur in a single instance, but over a prolonged period of time, such as when repetitive stress movements cause injuries like carpal tunnel. If you were working at your employer's job site, it's likely that you still would have been injured in this way due to the nature of your work, so workers' compensation should still cover your medical treatment. If you would have had access to more ergonomic equipment at your job site that's not available to you while working remotely, it might be possible to hold your employer responsible for furnishing your home office with this equipment as well to prevent further injury.

What If Your Claim Is Denied?

Each state has its own process for determining workers' comp eligibility, so you'll want to ask your lawyer about requirements in your state to make sure you have a valid claim. It's possible that your employer may try to deny even a valid claim if you're working from home, but the law provides protections for employees who get injured when working off-site. Your lawyer can help you understand your rights under the law and appeal your claim to ensure that you receive the benefits you need to recover and get back to work.