Is a self employed person required to claim workmans comp ?

I'm no expert, but I have a question about your situation. Worker's compensation is used when you are injured on the job. Were you working when you had a minor injury in another state?

You're self employed as office help. Does that mean you are working from your own office, or various offices belonging to your client? If the former, and you happen to be in New Mexico (it varies from state to state) you are not required to carry worker's comp insurance. You are also not covered - in any state. If the work occurs on someone else's job site, the company you are contracting with may require you to show proof of w/c coverage, and liability insurance too, for that matter.

Definitely depends on jurisdiction - and then circumstance of injury.

The person I am refering to is a self employed man from MA who got a contract job here in Utah. He got some dust in his eye and insisted on paying his hospital bill instead of using his wci. I even tried to insist he use it, he said he didn't have any and if he did it wasn't worth the trouble.

Having had my own housekeeping business in the past I knew I wasn't required to have WCI unless I had employees. So I didn't think twice about it once he insisted on paying.

My boss came back at me telling me it was illegal for him to pay, insinuating I had taken part in something illegal, yadda yadda.

I called The Dept of Labor here in Salt Lake and the lady who helped me said that people who are sole proprietors ,or in a limited partnership, with no employees can elect not to carry WCI. Also, if they do have it, they can elect not to use in in the event of an injury.

If the person is an independent contractor and not
an employee of the corporation, then there is no
need for you to cover him under your Workers Comp.

If he elects not to have proper insurance (either
Workers Comp or liability) it is his choice to do so,
however, he won't have any recourses if indeed
he sustains an insury while performing work for you.

So you should not have paid him a dime, and in
order for him to claim negligence on your part, he
would have to prove that first.

Personally, I would not hire anyone - especially
independent contractors - who does not have insurance.

What you can do now is call your insurance agent
you have a corporate liability insurance with and ask
if they cover uninsured contractors. If they do, you'll
get your money back, if not - you then have learned
a valuable lesson.

Utah
Worker's Compensation Handbook for Physicians -- Utah

Industrial Accidents -- Utah