Personal Injury Lawyer
Workplace injuries range from getting cut on a tape dispenser to being hit by a car and breaking your back. You can’t predict when they’re going to happen, and you probably don’t have the time or money to deal with them. Unfortunately, workplace accidents still happen, but you can often receive an income while you recover. The following are some things you should know.
Receiving Lost Wages
When you’re injured in a workplace accident, you’re going to need medical care. This could be one visit to the doctor to find out nothing is life-threatening, or it could include an emergency surgery and years of follow-up visits. In either case, you’re probably going to miss at least a little bit of work. Can you be compensated for lost wages?
Workers’ compensation does cover lost wages, but only to a certain degree. Most of the time, you’ll be given 66.67% of your typical wages, and that doesn’t start until you’ve been out of work for seven days. The eighth day is when you’d receive coverage, and the 14th day is when you’d receive a retroactive payment for the first week you missed. This coverage only lasts up to two years, depending on how long you’re out of work.
Missing Work for Appointments
If you have already gone back to work since your accident, and you need to visit the doctor for a follow up appointment, you wouldn’t generally be eligible for workers’ comp coverage for that visit. If you’ve already gone back to work, your compensation has probably ended. It’s best to schedule all appointments, even if they’re related to your accident, during off hours. This could be in the evening or during a work break.
Permanent Disability Payments
If you are permanently injured, there’s a chance you could receive coverage for a very long time. Instead of the lost wages you’d receive for that first two years, you could be compensated for permanent disability or impairment. You would need proof from your doctor that your care will be ongoing, but it’s something to work hard for so you don’t financially suffer.
Vocational Rehabilitation Compensation
Sometimes a workplace injury results in the inability to perform your regular job, though you could get another. For example, if your former job required your hands, but you have lost the ability to use them, you may need to be trained and educated in how to complete another job that doesn’t require hands. Workers’ compensation may pay those expenses so you can begin to receive a regular income once again.
Contacting a Lawyer
When you’re injured at work, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation. While it may not be 100% of your wages, it’s something to get you through. Contact a workers’ compensation lawyer, like from The Law Office of Mark T. Hurt, for help.
