4 Ways Workers’ Compensation Benefits an Injured Employee

Accidents can happen to anyone at any time, no matter how careful a person is. This is the reason why it is vital to be prepared with the resources and knowledge to tackle an accident.

When a person becomes injured or disabled due to an incident at their workplace, they are eligible for workers’ compensation, and they may even contact lawyers specializing in workers compensation to help them pursue their case. The main purpose of workers’ compensation is to offer monetary assistance to injured workers. Although this may seem beneficial, there are multiple hoops an injured worker must jump through to get the claim. 

To get workers’ compensation, an attorney will review your claim and deal with insurance agents. Also, some attorneys will work on a contingency basis, meaning that you don’t have to pay upfront for their services.

Workers’ compensation comes with its own set of challenges. But beyond these challenges lie benefits that will help an injured worker get back to normalcy. You can contact a specialist Lawyer such as Kaplan Morrell, who would take care of the paperwork, guiding you through the complicated world of workers’ compensation.

Here are 4 important benefits that will be of use to an injured worker.

Medical Care

Medical care is the first course of action after an accident. The amount spent on medical care can vary based on the severity of the injuries. Expenses for medical care usually include prescriptions, bills, and the cost of trips to the hospital.

For some companies, they have appointed doctors to take care of the injured workers. In case the injured worker needs a different doctor, they should have to submit a written petition.

Disability

Disability benefits are paid when a worker suffers injuries that force them to skip work. Disability benefits can be temporary or permanent.

Temporary disability benefits offer partial compensation for lost wages. There are maximum and minimum limits to the amount the worker receives. But the pay is usually two-thirds of a worker’s average gross pay per week. The amount is paid once every two weeks. Temporary disability checks arrive once a doctor has approved the worker’s inability to work.

As for permanent disability, the worker’s injuries must be bad enough that they prevent the worker from competing in the job market. The compensation amount and the frequency of the payout depend on the level of impact the injury has on the worker’s day-to-day activities. Other factors like occupation, age, and how much the worker used to earn are also taken into consideration.

Return to Work

Workers’ compensation benefits will be stopped for workers who return to work after their injuries and receive pay that is either equal to or greater than the pay they used to get before the injury. However, if their pay is less than what they used to receive, then the worker may still be eligible to collect workers’ compensation benefits. However, this amount will be comparatively less than the amount the worker was receiving when they were missing work.

Vocational Rehabilitation Benefit

Vocational rehabilitation benefits are for workers who cannot get back to their old jobs. This benefit offers assistance to the worker, helping them land another job. An injured worker gets partial income when they’re receiving vocational rehabilitation benefits. This benefit has a maximum limit and has the possibility of being replaced by a modified or different type of work from the employer.

The vocational benefits offered include:

  • Job search programs
  • Occupational counseling
  • Job search assistance
  • Vocational retraining
  • Classes at officially recognized learning institutions

Accidents have the ability to completely topple a person’s life. They can scar a person, causing everything from financial losses to physical injuries and emotional distress.  Not just that, they can also meddle with a person’s ability to earn and perform their job-related responsibilities efficiently.

With the assistance of an expert attorney, pursuing the parties responsible for your injury becomes much more manageable. In the event of a workplace injury, consult an attorney today to see the legal options available.

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Our Editorial Team are writers and experts in their field. Their views and opinions may not always be the views of Wellbeing Magazine. If you are under the direction of medical supervision please speak to your doctor or therapist before following the advice and recommnedations in these articles.

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