From personal experience, many states dont require workers compensation for independent contractors. Now there are protections still, but it isn't as robust as

From personal experience, many states dont require workers compensation for independent contractors. Now there are protections still, but it isn't as robust as employee protections, and even then in some states (like Texas), the company doesn't have to have workers compensation insurance at all, but instead can use mediation and arbitration to "take care of" injured workers. My sister is an orderly at a nursing home in Texas, and was attacked by a patient, she was was scraped up and had to get stitches, but they wouldn't allow her to fill out a work place injury form or reimburse her for medical expenses, and instead the onsite RN stitched her up at the request of management. The company (pretty large nursing home management company) does not carry workers compensation insurance and instead uses 3rd party arbitration to handle injury "disputes"... so if you are TRULY injured, you have no real recourse than to wait days and days without treatment waiting for this third party to say they will reimburse you.