According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, more than 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported by private industry employers in 2018. If you are unfortunate enough to suffer a workplace injury, it is important to know what type of compensation you may be entitled to. In this blog post, we will briefly touch on some of the most common types of compensation available to injured workers.
Disability Benefits
If your workplace injury has resulted in a disability—defined as a physical or mental condition that limits your ability to work—you may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. To qualify for SSDI, you must have worked at a job covered by Social Security for at least five of the past 10 years and have a medical condition that is expected to last for at least one year or result in death. If you qualify for SSDI, you can receive benefits until your disability improves or until you reach retirement age.
Medical Benefits
Your employer is required to provide you with medical benefits to treat your workplace injury. These benefits may include doctor’s visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, physical therapy, and other types of treatment deemed necessary by your doctor. In some cases, your employer may require you to see a doctor from their network of providers; however, if you do not live near one of these providers or they are not able to adequately treat your condition, you may be able to request a referral to an outside provider.
Wage Replacement Benefits
If your workplace injury prevents you from working, you may be eligible for wage replacement benefits through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy. The amount of these benefits will depend on factors such as your state’s workers’ compensation laws and the severity of your injury; however, they typically replace a portion of your lost wages—typically between 50% and 70%. These benefits are usually paid on a weekly basis and are tax-free.
Suffering a workplace injury can be a difficult ordeal; however, it is important to know what type of compensation you may be entitled to so that you can focus on healing and getting back to work. If you have any questions about the compensation you may be entitled to receive, please do not hesitate to contact a work site accident attorney today.