Fortunately for employee’s worker’s compensation is a mandatory insurance coverage which caters to the vast majority of injuries which occur in the workplace. This gives you the peace of mind of knowing that your family won’t suffer because you’re currently unable to work. What you might not realize is that worker’s compensation doesn’t just cover your medical bills – there are a whole range of other benefits that might potentially be available to you. The first thing you need to check is if you’re eligible for the full range of benefits on offer – eligibility and the range of benefits available varies from state to state. Your personal injury attorney can detail what benefits you might be eligible for.
Medical Care
The range of healthcare services available to you through this benefit is very broad. It covers everything from a doctor’s visit, medical procedures, medication, through to any equipment required to help you recover from your injury, such as a wheelchair or walking frame. There are certain instances were alternative therapies such as acupuncture and counseling are also paid for, but this is case dependent. You will need to check whether or not your employer gets to choose your healthcare provider, or if that’s a choice you can make.
Rehabilitation
Once you’ve had the primary cause of your injury treated it might then require several months of physical therapy to get you back on your feet, literally. Rehabilitation benefits can also provide for any care you require to assist you in returning to work, especially if you’ve been absent from your job for several months, or even years. In situations where you are no longer capable of doing your previous job this benefit can be used to pay for training to prepare you for a new career more suited to your current physical and mental abilities.
Disability
You will receive weekly monetary compensation while suffering from either a temporary or permanent disability caused by your workplace accident. The duration of this benefit will depend on what state you currently reside in, but more focus is put on the nature of your disability i.e. is it permanent or temporary? Generally speaking, you will be eligible to receive some form of disability benefit for anywhere from 3 – 5 years from the date of your injury. The amount received in disability payments is usually 60% of what your previous income was.
Death
The purpose of this benefit is to provide financial support for the family of a person who died as a result of a workplace accident. Thankfully such incidents are rare, but it’s comforting to know that your funeral and burial expenses would be covered, as well as your family receiving either ongoing financial support or a cash lump sum. The spouse and children of the deceased person will receive compensation, but sometimes the payment of compensation can extend to other family members, namely parents. It’s important to check the exact details of what your worker’s compensation death benefit covers, especially in situations where you’re living with a common law husband or wife, but are not legally married to them.
Please feel free to contact us today if you have any questions about the benefits you feel you’re entitled to but are not currently receiving.