Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits
When you or a loved one has been injured on the job, life immediately become more difficult and stressful. Workers’ compensation is designed to assist an injured worker by covering medical costs, lost wages, rehabilitation and more.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits Vary on a Case-by-Case Basis.
In Ohio, all businesses must carry some type of workers compensation insurance. As a result, workers compensation benefits may vary depending on the nature of the worker’s injuries. This is why it is so important to consult with a highly experienced workers’ compensation attorney, like myself! I have more than 40 years of experience helping injured workers recover benefits for their medical care, physical therapy, vocational rehabilitation, and lost wages. If you have questions about medical benefits, wage replacement benefits, or death benefits, you need to call me today! I understand what you and your family are going through, and I know what workers compensation benefits should be available to you!
If you have been injured on the job, there are several types of workers’ compensation benefits that may be offered:
Medical Benefits
Medical treatment: The medical care required to treat an injury or occupational disease, such as doctor visits, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, and rehabilitation services.
Diagnostic tests: Tests necessary to diagnose the injury or occupational disease, such as X-rays, MRIs, and lab work.
Prosthetic devices: Permanent disability benefits should include artificial limbs, braces, and other medical devices necessary to replace or support lost or damaged body parts due to an injury,
Home healthcare and vocational rehabilitation: Healthcare services provided in a worker’s home, such as nursing care and therapy, if necessary due to a work-related injury.
Transportation expenses: Disability benefits include the cost of transportation to and from medical appointments if the injury or occupational disease prevents the injured worker from driving.
Psychological counseling: This includes counseling services necessary to treat mental health conditions related to a work-related injury or occupational disease.
It’s worth noting that the above list is not exhaustive and may vary depending on the specifics of each workers compensation claim. If you have questions about workers compensation laws, or the claims process, call me so we can begin the claims process and you can start to receive benefits for your work related injuries!
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits
Temporary partial disability means the employee is back to work, but earning less than their pre-injury gross weekly wage. These temporary disability benefits are paid at two-thirds of the difference between what the employee earned at the time of the injury and the current earnings.
Temporary Total Disability Benefits
Temporary Total Disability compensation payments amount to roughly two-thirds of the employee’s average weekly wage before their injury,
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits
Permanent partial disability (PPD) is a type of workers’ compensation benefit that is payable for the permanent functional loss of use of the body based upon a disability. PPD claims are the most common type of workers’ compensation cases, making up over half of all workers’ comp claims nationwide.
Permanent Total Disability Benefits
To qualify for PTD benefits, the worker must demonstrate their inability to perform sustained, paid employment due to their workplace injury. If an injured employee qualifies for PTD benefits, the worker is eligible to receive disability benefit payments on a regular basis for the remainder of his/her life.
Wage loss
Wage loss compensation is meant to address the reduction in income that can occur when medical limitations prevent an employee from returning to their previous job. To qualify for wage loss benefits, an employee must be experiencing reduced income. The amount of wage loss benefits that an injured worker may receive depends on a number of factors, including the severity of their injury and the worker’s average weekly wage prior to injury.
Facial Disfigurement
Facial disfigurement can include any visible damage to the face or head, such as scarring or loss of facial features, that may impair the worker’s ability to secure or retain employment. It’s important to note that this benefit is a one-time award and is not intended to cover ongoing medical treatment or wage loss. $10,000 is the maximum amount payable for this type of award.
Disabled Workers’ Relief Fund
The Disabled Workers’ Relief Fund (DWRF) is a special fund established in Ohio to supplement the benefits received by permanently and totally disabled injured workers whose disability payments fall below the current cost of living. It was established in 1953 to help PTD beneficiaries whose benefits were fixed at that time. The fund is designed to raise the cost of living level for permanent workers comp benefits. In Ohio, workers with PTD status receive wage benefits 66-2/3 rds percent of their pre-injury average weekly earnings, up to a set maximum amount. DWRF is a separate supplemental fund that can provide relief beneficiaries who are experiencing financial difficulty due to the current cost of living.
Death claim
In Ohio, death benefits are available to the dependents of a worker who died due to an on the job injury or occupational disease. The dependent’s right to file a death claim for survivor benefits, does not begin until after the worker’s death. If the worker was receiving compensation at the time of death, BWC will pay the unpaid portion of the award of compensation in an allowed claim due to the worker. Only eligible surviving dependents can receive death benefits under the Ohio workers’ compensation system.
Workers’ compensation claims are very complex in nature and often require the knowledge of an experienced attorney, especially if a loved one was killed by a workplace accident or illness.
Workers compensation insurance is mandatory for every business in Ohio, but that does not mean the insurance company wants to pay for the injured employee to receive maximum benefits they are entitled to. Whether you are seeking disability benefits for permanent total disability or temporary total disability, you need me to act on your behalf to fight for maximum benefits with the workers compensation insurance company. Remember, insurance companies are not on your side, but I am and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
If you or a loved one were hurt at work, you deserve to be compensated for your injuries. Don’t risk losing your workers compensation benefits by handling your claim on your own. That is why I am here. Call me at 877-944-4374 to get your claim started. As your Ohio workers’ compensation lawyer, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
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