In a perfect world, every injured employee would make a complete recovery after a work injury and eventually be able to return to their job in a full capacity, but we don’t live in a perfect world. The unfortunate reality for tens of thousands of workers each year is that they never fully recover following an on-the-job accident.
Now, that’s not to say that they can’t return to work or go on to live fulfilling lives, but a permanent injury can lead to a more complex injury claim. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at what you can expect if you suffer a work injury that you’ll never totally recover from.
Permanent Injury Compensation
Sometimes it is very clear from the start that you will be permanently affected by your work injury, like if you lose a finger in a machine accident. Other times this doesn’t become evident until you progress through a rehabilitation program only to realize you’ll have some lifelong restrictions. However you come to this realization, it’s important that you understand you have compensation options.
When you’re faced with the prospect of permanent injury restrictions, it pays to have a lawyer by your side. Not only will these types of injuries come with current and future medical expenses, but it can also affect your earning’s potential, so it’s helpful to have an expert in your corner who can ensure you get every penny you deserve. They’ll typically work to collect one of two different types of compensation based on the injuries you’ve suffered – permanent partial disability or permanent total disability. Let’s take a closer look at each.
Permanent Partial Disability – If you have a permanent disability that eventually allows you to return to the workforce, you may be eligible for permanent partial disability. Using the example above, this could apply to a worker who lost a finger on the job or has suffered some permanent hearing damage as a result of their work duties. The amount of money you can collect will be based on which area of your body is affected and the extent of your disability. For example, total blindness in one eye would offer more compensation than partial hearing loss in one ear. You can learn more about how PPD benefits are paid by looking at this page, but your lawyer can also explain in greater detail how these benefits work based on your specific situation. In order to get a fair PPD payout, you’ll want to have an experienced lawyer by your side and a comprehensive evaluation from a physician you trust.
Permanent Total Disability – Permanent total disability is a compensation option for an individual who can no longer enter the workforce as a result of their on-the-job injury. If a major injury has left you unable to maintain gainful employment, you can earn continual compensation through a PTD claim. As you might imagine, there is a lot at stake with these claims, so you’ll want to ensure everything is in order, and the best way to do that is with a lawyer by your side. We spoke more in depth about PTD benefits on this blog piece dedicated solely to that type of injury compensation.
Know that if you are forever affected by a work injury that you have compensation options. If you have permanent scars or you are no longer making the same amount of money as you were prior to your injuries, you have ways to account for these changes in your physical and financial health. Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm would be more than happy to go to bat for you and help you earn the compensation you deserve. For more information about PPD, PTD or a different type of injury compensation, reach out to our team today at (952) 230-2700.
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