When Partial Disabilities Sideline You
It can happen in an instant; one day you're hard at work and the next you are the victim of a workplace related injury. When you get injured at work, you can expect some help from your employer's workers' compensation insurance carrier. This coverage costs you nothing, and will help pay some your salary and all of your related medical bills. Most of the time, everything heals properly and you are back on the job in no time at all, but in some cases your injury doesn't seem to be healing completely. Read on for a better understanding of the different types of coverage and how to handle injuries that do not get better.
Two Different Types of Coverage
As time goes on, you can expect to experience these types of workers' comp coverage.
Initial injury: This is the most often used level of coverage, and it can last from a few days to several months, depending on the severity of your injury. After you get injured, seek medical treatment and report your injury to your supervisor so that you'll be able to take advantage of having your medical treatment paid for in full and to receive a certain portion of your pay while you recuperate. The amount is usually about 70% of your usual salary, but this can vary from state to state. Most injured workers never go beyond this initial phase and return to work after a short recuperation.
Permanent injury: When your injury is not healing as expected, the workers' comp carrier may ask you to take part in a special medical exam where your level of recovery is evaluated. In workers' comp language, if your injury is not expected to get any better you are at maximum medical improvement. This is actually the same thing as having a permanent disability.
What happens next?
Once you have the MMI ruling, your benefits will undergo a change. Up to now, you have been getting weekly partial payments of your salary, but now you may be offered a lump sum settlement.
What to know about partial disabilities
In some instances, your injury is ruled to be at a certain percentage. For example, you may be ruled to have a 75% disability. You may still be able to do certain types work, so your benefit amount would pay 75% of your expected lifetime salary amount. Often, you will offered the chance to retrain for other work, or you may be able to work reduced hours at your old job.
When you are ruled to have a permanent disability, the need to get good legal help is important. You want to have a workers' comp attorney who can negotiate the best settlement possible for you.
Share