Federal and state workers compensation laws provide many benefits to employees injured at work or who develop an occupational disease.
Indeed, many injured workers are unaware of all the benefits they may get after a work accident or the diagnosis of an occupational illness. And the workers comp adjuster does not have to tell you about them.
We want to change that.
This article explains the workers compensation benefits available to you. Although the amount varies by state, the types of workers comp benefits are similar.
Use this information to get the benefits that can serve as a safety net for you and your family when a work-related injury or sickness disrupts everything.
Read on to learn more.
And call us if you have questions about workers compensation in Virginia: (804) 251-1620 or (757) 810-5614.
We have recovered millions of dollars in benefits and workers compensation settlements for injured employees and their families. And we want to do the same for you.
Workers comp provides monetary, medical, and other benefits to covered employees who suffer an injury by accident or occupational disease arising out of and during their employment.
The sections below summarize the types of workers compensation benefits available.
Click on the links for details on how to get the specific benefit you seek.
Workers compensation requires your employer to pay for reasonable and necessary medical attention related to your work accident.
Covered care includes:
In addition, your employer must pay for prosthetics, orthotic appliances, wheelchairs, canes, and crutches. Further, if these items are medically necessary, the employer must furnish and maintain home and automobile modifications.
Medical treatment (including durable medical equipment and home modifications) for your work injury or occupational illness is free. You owe no co-payments, and there is no insurance deductible.
No monetary cap applies to medical benefits in many states, including Virginia. For example, we have represented injured workers with head trauma, traumatic brain injury (TBI), amputations, burns, and spinal cord injuries whose medical expenses were over $1 million.
Other states, however, may stop medical benefits for work injuries once you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI).
Read this article for more information on medical benefits under workers compensation.
Workers comp provides four types of wage loss benefits payable to injured workers weekly.
Your workers comp payment amounts depends on your pre-injury average weekly wage and is subject to maximum and minimum compensation rates and caps on how long benefits can last.
These disability benefits are tax-free.
Inflation can diminish the value of wage loss benefits.
Workers compensation recognizes this and provides cost-of-living supplements yearly.
COLA’s value varies depending on economic conditions.
We explain COLA in workers comp here.
Your employer must reimburse you for mileage (gas) or transportation expenses (Uber, Lyft, taxi, etc.) to medical appointments, vocational rehabilitation meetings, and job interviews.
Alternatively, if you ask, your employer must provide transportation to get to these appointments.
Spouses, children, and parents who financially depend on a worker may qualify for death benefits if a work-related injury or occupational illness is fatal.
Read here for more information about workers comp death benefits.
An employer must pay burial expenses up to $10,000 and reasonable transportation expenses for the deceased up to $1,000 if a work accident or occupational illness causes death.
Workers comp provides vocational rehabilitation services to help you reenter the workforce if you cannot return to your pre-injury job.
These services include:
Your wage loss benefits will continue while you participate in and cooperate with the vocational rehabilitation counselor.
Although not an “official” benefit under workers compensation acts, it’s standard for injured workers, employers, insurers, and claim administrators (Sedgwick, Gallagher Bassett, ESIS, etc.) to negotiate a settlement to close a case. This agreement is also known as a compromise and release.
All settlements are voluntary.
Maybe.
An injured worker may be entitled to one or all of these benefits depending on the nature and extent of the injury and disability.
Workers comp is supposed to protect employees hurt on the job. But the claim process is complicated, and one mistake can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in benefits or more.
You don’t have to go through this process alone.
Our law firm will help you get every workers compensation benefit you deserve.
Call now if you need help with your work injury claim or have questions about your case: 804-251-1620 or 757-810-5614. We are ready to start.