What is considered a compensable injury under Hawaii law?

Under Hawaii law, a compensable injury is typically one that occurs in the course of employment and arises out of the employment conditions. Injuries occurring during work hours are generally recognized as compensable as they meet the criteria of happening while the employee is performing their job duties or engaged in activities that are part of their work environment. This means that if an employee is injured while fulfilling their job responsibilities or during breaks within work hours, those injuries are eligible for compensation under workers' compensation regulations.

Injuries sustained while commuting to work are generally not considered compensable because they occur outside the work premises and are not directly related to the employee's job responsibilities. Similarly, intentional self-harm or injuries that happen while an individual is under the influence of drugs typically do not fall under the compensable category because they do not arise from the employment context but rather from personal choices or actions that are unrelated to the workplace. Therefore, injuries incurred during working hours align with the workers' compensation framework, establishing them as compensable under Hawaii law.