How Well Does Workers Compensation Help Your Situation?
Workers compensation (also known as workers comp) is a system that supports workers as they recover from a workplace injury. The system covers related medical bills and delivers a percentage of normal wage or salary, but is that enough? There are some situations where the payments are barely enough to survive on, or the medical issues go beyond what a workers compensation-assigned employer considers related or recoverable. Before signing anything, consider these scenarios and ways to get the help you really need when workers compensation isn't enough.
Increased Compensation When The Money Isn't Enough
For many workers, a partial salary or wage payment while away from work isn't a big deal. As long as bills can be paid, it's time off of work that would be enjoyable if pain or temporary disability wasn't in the way. Unfortunately, this is a nightmare for workers who barely make ends meet with their finances, or weren't making enough money before the injury.
There is no reason to suffer additional poverty because of a workplace injury. The workers compensation system has financial hardship policies in place to help workers ease the financial stress of not getting their full paycheck, either through other social services or a payment stipend that increases the raw cash value of compensation.
Social services are more likely, and being on workers compensation clears the path of signing up. Systems such as food stamps (electronic benefits transfer or EBT), temporary social security, and different welfare-like programs can be signed up and approved easier with your workers compensation status, and a workers compensation lawyer can handle the hard parts for you.
Severe And Long-Lasting Disability
The standard workers compensation medical experience is that you visit a doctor, rest for a few weeks, then go back to work when the doctor deems you fit for full duty. More severe injuries will result in additional medical specialists added to your examination, but it's still a gateway to returning to work with a doctor's approval.
In some cases, the doctor can be premature on their decision. You may even agree with an incorrect decision, either because you're eager to get back to work or eager to get better. Don't accept a doctor's opinion alone. Seek a second opinion for medical professionals unrelated to the medical network and figure out what's going on with your condition.
There's always a chance that your condition is more complex than you realize, and what you think is a recovery is merely getting good enough to move around and perform basic tasks. You could have a more complex set of conditions caused by the initial injury that aren't obvious until weeks or months down the line, or your body may be weakened to the point of severe disability sooner than most people.
Bones broken in extreme angles or damage to vital organs can lead to faster onset of old age pain and disability that you shouldn't be responsible for. Before signing anything or assuming that you're completely better because you feel better--an unscientific and dangerous statement--contact a workers compensation lawyer to explore disability compensation, additional medical support, personal injury claims, and other forms of compensation.