5 Expenses Your Workers’ Compensation Claim Will Cover

A work injury can leave you feeling financially burdened, especially if that injury keeps you out of work for weeks or months at a time. The good news is that the workers’ compensation system is designed to help provide for this lost income and ensure you aren’t stuck with bills that are a direct result of your injury. The only downside to the system is that it is complex, and many people aren’t fully aware of all the compensation options available to them. In today’s blog, we take a look at five expenses that workers’ compensation will help cover after a work injury.

Getting Paid For Work Injury Expenses

Here’s a look at five injury-related expenses that you can be reimbursed for or that will be directly paid by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer.

1. Medical Expenses – Any and all approved medical expenses will be paid for by your employer’s insurance company. We note the qualifier word “approved” in the above sentence because you can’t just get any type of treatment in the wake of a work injury. Most insurers will want you to try conservative care first, or they’ll want you to avoid less effective treatments like massage therapy. If a doctor believes treatment can provide benefit to the patient, it will most likely be entirely covered by your work comp claim.

2. Lost Wages – If you’re out of work for a while, you won’t be bringing in that bi-weekly paycheck. Workers’ compensation allows for injured workers to collect payments for this lost income. However, it’s worth noting that you won’t be paid the full sum you normally would earn. In general, you can usually collect about 2/3rds of what you would normally earn through lost wage payments.

3. Disability Payments – If you suffered temporary or permanent damage to a part of your body as a result of your work injury, you can be awarded compensation in the form of disability benefits. Compensation is determined based on a calculation that involves the extent of your injuries and which body parts were affected.

4. Retraining Benefits – If you need training in order to transition to a new role after your injury, or you need to go back to school to further your education and find a new career path because your injuries mean you cannot return to your old line of work, workers’ compensation can pay for these retraining and education expenses. You may need to prove the existence of the need for such benefits, but a good lawyer can help you with that.

5. Care-Seeking Reimbursements – Essentially, many expenses that you incur as a direct result of seeking treatment for your injuries can be reimbursed by workers’ compensation. We’ve already touched on the obvious subject of medical care, but there are other related expenses that would not be included in your medical expense payment. For example, you can be reimbursed for mileage to and from medical appointments or physical therapy sessions, or you can be reimbursed for those foot inserts or wrist braces you purchased to help support the injured area. Talk with a lawyer to ensure you collect compensation or are reimbursed for all eligible expenses after a work injury.

For more information, or for help developing your claim or getting compensation, reach out to Dean and the talented team at Margolis Law Office today.