Know the Injuries Covered Under Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Laws

Illnesses and diseases.

If you developed an illness or disease—like an occupational cancer—that arose out of your employment, this would be a workplace injury entitling you to benefits.

Pre-existing injuries.

If you had a pre-existing condition that became worse due to a workplace injury, you could be entitled to benefits even if the original injury was not work related. You need to show that the work injury or activity contributed to the injury by accelerating or aggravating the pre-existing injury.

Injury reoccurrence.

An injury that reoccurs after your initial disability is considered within the scope of your employment whether it is a reoccurrence or an aggravation by a new workplace injury. However, if your injury was originally caused at another job, you may have to obtain benefits through that employer’s insurance company if it was not aggravated by a new injury.

Flow-from conditions.

A “flow-from” is used to define injuries or conditions that result from another work-related injury. For example, if you hurt your right hand and cannot use it effectively, you could compensate by using your left hand. If that hand also becomes injured due to overuse, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for this new condition.