Recent Blog Posts
Independent Contractor or Employee? Why It Matters for Vermont Workers’ Comp
“You’re an independent contractor, so you’re not covered.” If you’ve heard that line after getting hurt on the job, you might assume the conversation is over. It isn’t. Vermont law doesn’t let a job title or a line in a contract decide the question by itself. Whether you actually qualify for workers’ compensation benefits… Read More »
How Long Do You Have to Wait for Workers’ Comp Checks in Vermont?
You got hurt on the job. The claim was accepted. So why isn’t a check showing up yet? This is one of the most common questions injured workers ask, and it makes sense. When you’re not earning a paycheck, every day of delay matters. Vermont law does build in a short waiting period before… Read More »
Picking, Plowing, and Getting Hurt: Seasonal and Agricultural Worker Injuries in Vermont
If you’ve spent a summer picking apples in the Champlain Valley, milking cows before sunrise, or working the lifts at a ski resort once the snow flies, you already know this kind of work asks a lot of your body. Seasonal and agricultural jobs keep Vermont running, but they also come with real risks…. Read More »
Did Your Overtime Disappear From Your Workers’ Comp Check? Here’s What’s Going On
If you regularly picked up overtime before your injury and now your weekly workers’ compensation check looks smaller than you expected, you’re probably wondering whether that extra time on the clock actually counted for anything. It’s a fair question, and the answer involves a calculation that a lot of workers never think about until… Read More »
When Your Job Hurts Your Mind, Not Just Your Body: Mental Health Claims in Vermont
Most people think of workers’ compensation as something that kicks in after a fall, a lifting injury, or a piece of machinery gone wrong. But what happens when the harm isn’t physical at all? Vermont law recognizes that work can wound a person’s mental health just as seriously as it can wound a body,… Read More »
Going Back to Work Too Early: How It Can Quietly Shrink Your Vermont Benefits
Nobody wants to sit at home while a paycheck shrinks and bills pile up. So when a doctor clears you for even part-time or light duty work, the urge to jump back in is completely understandable. But here’s a question worth sitting with before you clock back in: does going back too soon actually… Read More »
What Happens If Your Injury Gets Worse After a Vermont Workers’ Compensation Claim?
A work injury does not always follow a neat timeline. Some people feel fine after a few months of treatment, only to find the pain creeping back a year or two later. Others discover that what seemed like a minor strain has turned into something that requires surgery. If your condition has taken a… Read More »
Can Insurance Companies Stop Your Benefits in Vermont?
You finally started getting your workers’ compensation checks after weeks of paperwork and waiting. Then, without much warning, the payments stop. If this sounds familiar, you are probably wondering whether an insurance company can really just cut you off like that. At Sluka Law PLC, our Vermont workers’ compensation lawyers hear this question often,… Read More »
What Happens After You Report a Workplace Injury in Vermont?
You reported your workplace injury. Now what? Many Vermont workers are unsure what happens behind the scenes once that report is made. While every situation is different, there is a general process that most claims follow under Vermont’s workers’ compensation system. First, your employer should notify their workers’ compensation insurance carrier. Vermont law requires… Read More »
How Long Does a Workers’ Compensation Case Take in Vermont?
If you’ve been hurt on the job, one of the first questions on your mind is probably how long this is all going to take. Will you be waiting weeks? Months? Longer? The honest answer is that it depends. Some Vermont workers’ compensation cases are resolved relatively quickly, while others stretch out for a… Read More »