Work-related injuries and illnesses make you eligible for a specific type of worker’s compensation. Every kind of worker’s compensation poses various benefits. They usually include rehabilitation, medical treatment, death, and disability benefits.
States differ in their rules and regulations regarding the acquisition of such compensation. However, here’s a rundown of the most common benefits you can obtain from worker’s compensation:
- Medical Care and Treatment
The compensation you can obtain will cover your hospital bills and medical-related expenses. These are necessary to diagnose and treat work-related illnesses or injuries. Doctor fees, medical treatments, therapies, and surgeries are some of the benefits you can get. The compensation will also cover the fees for using medical equipment like wheelchairs when necessary.
The doctors may require advance notice and authorization for the treatment as with the exception of emergency situations. Sometimes, the compensation won’t cover investigative treatments. This is where a worker compensation attorney is helpful.
- Rehabilitation and Recovery
Rehabilitation benefits typically cover therapeutic care and treatment to help you achieve a quick and safe recovery. They may also include training in order to regain your skills needed in your daily activities. Training includes vocational rehabilitation, covering the evaluation, tuition fees, and training fees to help you acquire the qualifications for work.
- Disability
Disability benefits include salaries that you have lost while the injury or illness made you unable to work. These benefits are usually categorized into four:
- Temporary total incapacity stops your working skills to function for a limited time. Recovery and treatment are on process to regain your skills and abilities.
- Temporary partial incapacity averts your normal daily activities for a limited time. However, you can still do few of your work. Working for few hours is allowed to allow treatment and recovery during your spare time.
- Permanent total disability includes permanent damage that you won’t be able to return to your work anymore. Determining the benefits included in permanent disability varies from one state to another. Total incapacity is not the hindrance to receiving such benefit.
- Permanent partial disability includes permanent damage that creates partial disability to work. Some states have limited compensation for such benefit.
- Death
Death benefits are given to the family of the worker who died from a work-related injury or illness. In this case, the family should be recognized as financially dependent. Benefits include funeral and other expenses. The benefit primarily aims to compensate family members in losing financial support from the deceased employee. Such compensation is a percentage of the salary of the worker.
Some states are strict on the relationship status between dependents and the deceased worker. Most of the time, an attorney is required to review the legalities of the relationships and the eligibility to receive compensation.
Work-related injuries and illnesses may lead to mild or severe effects. You must know how to deal with the legal process of claiming compensations in exchange for the sufferings you have gone through while working. You must always know your benefits so you will be properly compensated.
