Types of Benefits Available in Workers' Compensation Injuries

Medical Benefits

Workers' Compensation benefits include, doctor's visits, medicine and hospital fees which are reasonably necessary to cure or relieve pain from the injury.  Furthermore, the injured party is reimbursed for travel to and from the doctor's office.  Many times the employer's insurance company has a Medical Provider Network which requires the injured party to visit the doctors in that particular network.

Worker's injuries sometimes require a Medical Examiner is to determine the amount of injury suffered.  Sometimes the injured worker's attorney and the insurance company can agree to utilize one doctor to examine the injured worker once she or he is permanent and stationary. Thereafter, the consulting physician prepares a detailed narrative report setting forth his or her opinion as to the nature and extent of any disability, the need for further medical care and the ability to return to work.

Temporary Benefits

The injured worker due to injury suffered at work is unable to work for more than 3 days or be hospitalized, then is eligble to receive these benefits.  This type of workers' compensation benefit is paid at a certain percentage of the average weekly salary and it varies to when the injury occurred. 

Permanent Disability

In Workers' Compensation permanent disability benefit is available when an injury or condition results in some permanent impairment.  It is also understood to mean the injury of the person has reached a level where it will stay the same.  The amount is determined by a complex formula which reduces the disability as described by the doctor to a percentage and then raises or lowers that percentage depending on your age and occupation.  Also taken into account are the severity of the injury and the lasting effect of your injury. Permanent disability is paid at different rates from different rates of injury and for different percentages of disability.  If completely disabled for life you will receive your temporary disability rate for life.

For Permanent Disability the court requires the doctor to issue a final report when the injured worker is permanent and stationary.  The report usually will include a statement of the disability.  The doctor will give his opinion of whether the permanent disability prevents the injured worker from returning to work and opinion as to whether future medical care is needed.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational Rehabilitation is available depending on the date the employee  was injured.  If the injury to the worker occurred before January 1, 2004, and if the injury or condition, by itself or together with some other condition, prevents the worker from returning to the kind of work he/she was doing when injured, then they are entitled to Vocational Rehabilitation Assistance.  For example if your previous employment required you to lift heavy boxes, and now you are not able to lift heavy items, this program would be helpful. 

Vocational Rehabilitation for injured workers offers a variety of training and placement assistance in a new field of work.  It is common for your primary physician to recommend you to vocational rehabilitation, and then the law requires that you be paid for the period in the program.  There is a $16,000 limit that the insurance company is required to pay for the vocational rehabilitation portion of the claim.

Death Benefits

Person's dependent for support or partial support on a deceased employee may be entitled to Death Benefits if the death was related to employment. It is not necessary that the death occur at work if the condition which caused the death is job related.  For example, the deceased worker may have died several years after the initial injury at work.

Other Recoveries

Mental conditions due to the injury at work
Other supplemental injuries or new injuries which were caused due to the initial injury from work