At Kidwell & Gallagher Injury Lawyers, it is one of the most common questions we hear from injured Reno workers: if I get injured at work, do I get paid? The short answer is yes, Nevada’s workers’ compensation system provides partial wage replacement and medical coverage for employees hurt on the job. But payments do not equal your full salary, and delays or disputes can affect when benefits actually arrive.
A Reno workers’ compensation attorney can helps you understand what you are owed and push back when an insurer slows the process down. Understanding how the system works from the start is the best way to protect your right to get paid.
Nevada law requires most employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance, which provides a financial safety net for anyone who suffers a job-related injury. You do not need to prove that your employer did anything wrong to qualify.
That said, workers’ compensation does not replace your entire paycheck. Many people ask: if I get injured at work, do I get paid my full salary? The answer is no, the benefit covers a portion of lost wages along with medical expenses, not your full income.
When a work injury puts you out of commission, two things typically need covering: your medical bills and the wages you stop bringing home. Medical benefits handle the treatment side, emergency care, follow-up visits, surgery if needed, physical therapy, and prescription costs. As long as the claim is accepted, those expenses run through the employer’s insurer. Knowing how to file a workers’ comp claim correctly is what keeps that process moving without unnecessary delays.
Whether you also receive wage replacement, and how much, comes down to what your doctor says about your ability to work. A worker cleared for light duty gets a different benefit than one who cannot work at all.
Nevada workers’ compensation recognizes several distinct payment categories:
Under NRS 616C.475, the insurer must issue the first payment within 14 working days after receiving the disability certification from your treating physician. That window begins once the paperwork reaches the insurer.
Late reporting is the most common reason payments stall. Beyond that, a disputed diagnosis, missing medical records, or a direct challenge from the employer can all freeze a claim mid-process while both sides sort out what happened. None of those situations improves on its own. Knowing when to hire a workers’ comp lawyer before a dispute hardens into a denial is often what separates a paid claim from a prolonged fight.
Anyone who wonders if I get injured at work, do I get paid, and then finds nothing arriving, should know that delays are often a paperwork issue rather than a formal denial of the claim. If the insurer has disputed or denied the claim, you have the right to appeal through Nevada’s workers’ compensation system.
Keep a running record from day one, the date of injury, every conversation with your employer or the insurer, all medical visits, and any written decisions on your claim.
Some people might even ask if their employers are required to pay some compensation, such as nonprofit organization workers. Our article Are Nonprofits Exempt from Workers’ Compensation? Deep covers those questions
Workers’ compensation claims involve strict deadlines, insurer disputes, and rules that shift quickly when a claim is challenged. Kidwell & Gallagher Injury Lawyers fight for injured Nevada workers at every stage of the process. Call us today at (775) 323-2667 for a free consultation and find out exactly where your claim stands.
Craig W. Kidwell is the managing partner of Kidwell & Gallagher, Ltd., and exclusively represents injured workers in Nevada. Mr. Kidwell has been practicing workers’ compensation law in Nevada since 1999 and has acted as lead counsel on over 2,000 contested workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Kidwell represents injured workers in Nevada through all stages of Nevada’s complex worker’s compensation system. Craig regularly appears in all levels of Nevada’s administrative workers’ compensation system and has represented injured workers in Nevada’s districts and Supreme Court.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Managing Partner, Craig W. Kidwell who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.