The Two Levels Of Workers' Compensation Coverage
You may never think about workers' comp insurance until you get injured, but like almost all forms of insurance, it can be difficult to understand and deal with. It can help if you think of workers' comp as not one but two different types of insurance with each type covering different areas and having different benefits. Read on to learn more about the two levels of workers' compensation insurance.
Level One
Your first step upon being injured or discovering an occupational illness is to seek medical care. After that, be sure to let your direct supervisor know about it and ensure that a workers' comp claim form is filed with the carrier. There are two very important benefits workers gain when they get injured at work. These two benefits are meant to provide support for the worker who spends a short amount of time out of work before returning to their jobs. Here are are the two main benefits hurt workers can expect at this level:
Disability Wages – If your doctor orders you to stay home from work until your injuries get better, you may be entitled to a form of payment from the workers' comp insurance carrier. Unfortunately, you won't be getting as much money as you were before you were injured. Worker's comp pay is usually about two-thirds of your usual pay. This pay comes in the form of a weekly check and there are no deductions or taxes removed from it.
Medical Care – As long as your workers' comp doctor orders it, the insurance will pay for it. That can mean doctor's appointments, diagnostic tests, medications, surgery, physical therapy, and more. While there is no actual dollar amount limit to the care you receive, if your injury falls into the permanent injury category, your benefits will undergo a change. That brings you to level two of your workers' comp benefits.
Level Two
After you've been out of work for a while, a closer examination of your health might be in order. The workers' comp carrier may want to ascertain why your injury is not healed and why you have not been able to return to your job yet. The independent medical exam may either show that you must return to work or that you have a permanent injury. Another word for a permanent injury is maximum medical improvement (MMI).
After the ruling of MMI, you may be offered a lump sum settlement. Negotiating to get the most complete financial settlement is of utmost importance so you should seriously consider seeking the help of a workers' compensation attorney. You may be entitled to other benefits like future medical treatments, job training, vocational counseling and more, so seek legal help once you are ruled to be at MMI.