Employees who have been injured or become sick on the job have protection under workers’ compensation benefits. If you are in this situation and have been approved for workers’ comp benefits, you may wonder what type of payment you will receive. The following will break it down.
Time Off
Workers’ compensation is designed to cover the wages lost due to time off from an injury or illness acquired on the job. Are you taking time off to attend medical appointments? Are you taking time off for therapy related to the incident? Are you taking time off to recover at home? All of those situations would qualify for payment from workers’ comp.
If there’s a paid holiday during your time away from work, you may wonder if that’s considered time off and if you’ll receive compensation for it. Perhaps you typically work holidays because they pay you overtime so you’re wondering if you’ll be eligible for that overtime pay. In most situations, an employer will not be required to pay anything extra for holidays. If your employer pays overtime to employees on other types of leave during a holiday, you may have a case to request that same type of compensation.
Medical Care
Whether your injury or illness requires immediate care, extended care or both, workers’ comp generally covers all of it. This could include an ambulance ride, physical therapy, follow up visits with a physician and more. If you’re entitled to compensation, don’t let any medical expenses fall through the cracks. Although they seem small, they can add up to a large amount and you shouldn’t have to pay for that. Keep all your explanation of benefits statements, medical bills, overdue notices and other documentation so you have it if you’re required to prove any care.
Job Retraining
In some states, when an employee has to change jobs because of the injury or illness, workers’ comp could pay for higher education or job retraining. For example, someone who received permanent foot damage at a job in which they stood all day could receive tuition costs for schooling that would educate him or her on how to do a new desk job.
Contacting a Lawyer
When you become ill or injured on the job, you deserve compensation to help you financially get through the next little while. Whether your injury or illness is temporary or permanent, it may require the assistance of a lawyer to get you accurate payments through workers’ compensation. Contact your lawyer today.
Source: Workers Compensation Lawyers Queens, NY, Polsky, Shouldice & Rosen, P.C.