[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","about":["Workers' Compensation","Work Injuries"],"url":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/maryland-workers-comp-faq\/","dateModified":"2026-01-08","description":"Most Maryland employees can apply for workers\u2019 compensation if they suffer an injury or develop a job-related disease. But obtaining these benefits can be a challenge. Even though workers\u2019 compensation should be provided to all qualifying employees under the law, insurance companies are often reluctant to make fair payouts. Need to file with a Maryland workers\u2019 compensation claim? Trollinger Law LLC can help. Read our workers\u2019 compensation FAQ or call us today for a free consultation. What is Workers\u2019 Compensation? Maryland law requires most employers to carry workers\u2019 compensation insurance to cover employees who get hurt on the job. This...","articleBody":"Most Maryland employees can apply for workers\u2019 compensation if they suffer an injury or develop a job-related disease. But obtaining these benefits can be a challenge. Even though workers\u2019 compensation should be provided to all qualifying employees under the law, insurance companies are often reluctant to make fair payouts.Need to file with a Maryland workers\u2019 compensation claim? Trollinger Law LLC can help. Read our workers\u2019 compensation FAQ or call us today for a free consultation.What is Workers\u2019 Compensation?Maryland law requires most employers to carry workers\u2019 compensation insurance to cover employees who get hurt on the job. This insurance provides money to offset a worker\u2019s financial losses while they cannot work.Workers\u2019 comp benefits are no-fault benefits, meaning the employee does not have to prove someone else is responsible for their injuries to get coverage. But there is a trade-off. In exchange for no-fault benefits, employees lose the right to sue their employers for negligence.What Does Workers\u2019 Compensation Cover?Workers\u2019 compensation covers an employee\u2019s medical expenses, provides partial wage replacement, and pays disability benefits while they cannot work. To receive coverage, the employee\u2019s injury must result from an \u201caccidental personal injury arising out of and in the course of employment.\u201d Not every injury that happens while working automatically qualifies you for workers\u2019 comp. It must have occurred while you were performing a job-related duty.In addition, workers\u2019 compensation also provides death benefits to qualifying family members if a job injury proves fatal.What is Not Covered by Workers\u2019 Comp?Your ability to receive workers\u2019 comp depends on what you were doing at the time of the accident. For example, getting into a car accident on your lunch break would not qualify as a work-related injury. But if you deliver flowers for a living and in a car crash on your way to make a delivery, you would likely be entitled to workers\u2019 compensation.Your workers\u2019 comp claim could also be contested if you were intoxicated or engaging in horseplay when the accident occurred. However, those behaviors do not necessarily bar you from receiving workers\u2019 comp.What Are My Rights After an Injury at Work?Every business with one or more workers must have workers\u2019 compensation insurance in Maryland. After a job injury, you have the right to file a workers\u2019 comp claim asking your employer to cover your losses.You have 10 days from the date of the injury to inform your employers of your injury. Family members of a fatally injured worker have 30 days to notify the employer of the injury. You must make a report even if the employer already knows about the injury, ideally in writing.Some workers are not entitled to workers\u2019 comp, such as independent contractors. Contact an attorney if you need help figuring out your rights to workers\u2019 compensation.What Happens After I File a Claim?After you file a claim for a work injury or occupational illness, your employer or its workers\u2019 compensation insurer has 21 days to either accept your claim or file contesting issues, which will lead to the claim being filed with the Maryland Workers\u2019 Compensation Commission. Within 30 days of your claim\u2019s filing, a commissioner will either issue an award or schedule your claim for a hearing if your employer challenges the claim.Do I Have to Hire a Lawyer for My Claim?You are not required to hire an attorney to file a claim for workers\u2019 compensation benefits. But if you are struggling to get your claim approved by the insurance company\u2019s adjuster or your employer, or if you are scheduled for a hearing before a workers\u2019 compensation commissioner, it\u2019s wise to seek legal counsel. Insurance companies do not fear an injured worker without an attorney. But if you walk in with a lawyer, they will know you mean business.Can My Employer Fire Me for Filing a Workers\u2019 Comp Claim?It is against the law for an employer to fire you simply for filing a workers\u2019 comp claim in Maryland. That\u2019s your right. But there is a twist. The law says that you cannot be fired solely for filing a claim. But if your employer terminates you for some other reason as well, they could be well within their rights.Get Help From a Maryland Workers\u2019 Compensation LawyerStill have questions? Get the answers you need from a workers\u2019 comp attorney at Trollinger Law LLC. Call or contact us now for a free case review.","wordCount":745,"name":"Maryland Workers\u2019 Comp FAQ","headline":"Maryland Workers\u2019 Comp FAQ","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/maryland-workers-comp-faq\/","datePublished":"2020-10-07","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/wrokers-compensation-scaled.jpg","height":1696,"width":2560,"@id":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/wrokers-compensation-scaled.jpg"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Logo-Header-1.svg","height":0,"width":0,"@id":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Logo-Header-1.svg"},"name":"Trollinger Law LLC","@id":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/maryland-workers-comp-faq\/#Organization1"},"author":{"@type":"Person","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/294d97996bf8e1c4ec8c384f3195c5b6?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96,"@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/294d97996bf8e1c4ec8c384f3195c5b6?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"url":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/author\/matt\/","name":"Matt Trollinger","identifier":31,"@id":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/author\/matt\/#Person"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/maryland-workers-comp-faq\/#BlogPosting"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Maryland Workers\u2019 Comp FAQ","item":"https:\/\/www.trollingerlaw.com\/blog\/maryland-workers-comp-faq\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]