When an employee sustains an injury on the job, it can lead to serious physical and financial hardships. Thankfully, there are workers’ compensation benefits that can help to alleviate some of that stress.
To receive said benefits, it is critical to complete the process correctly, which requires proper knowledge of it. Before filing a workers’ comp claim, there are important facts about the benefits that a worker should understand.
Temporary
In the case of temporary disability, an employee receives benefits temporarily after the accident, while he or she is out of work. The allocating party pays a percentage of the employee’s wages. The employee receives workers’ compensation benefits until he or she reaches the maximum medical improvement level, which the treating physician determines. If the employee does not completely recover from the incident, it may be possible to receive permanent benefits.
Permanent partial
If an employee is able to return to work, but still maintains a level of impairment, it may be possible to receive permanent partial disability. The treating physician must verify the medical condition of the employee. The allocating party utilizes the verification to determine the employee’s total body impairment rating, which pinpoints the amount to pay from the compensation schedule. This amount may range between $750 and $515,000 and the worker may receive these spread out over time or as a lump sum.
Permanent total
Those parties who suffer a permanent disability after a work accident may receive permanent total disability. It is important to note that employees may still receive this benefit even if they return to work; however, there are thresholds in place to prevent abuse of the benefits. To determine this benefit amount, the allocating party looks at the employee’s weekly pay and pays two-thirds of the amount.