Dodrill Reminds Workers, Employers That COVID Claims May Be Compensable

West Virginia is not one of the states that have adopted a COVID-19 presumption law or rule, but the state insurance commissioner is reminding virus-sickened workers that they may be eligible for benefits. Every employee who has sustained an occupational injury “has the absolute right to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits,” Commissioner James Dodrill said in bulletin posted Tuesday. “In this context, the term occupational injury includes an occupational disease.” Injured or sickened workers should give written notice to employers as soon as pos...