What are My Workers Compensation Permanent Disability Benefits?

Workers compensation insurance is a compulsory plan to cover employees who suffer during the course of employment by illness or injury. An employee is eligible for workers compensation permanent disability when the resulting disability reaches a stage where further improvement or curing of the disability is not possible. Before the start of this permanent disability benefit, the employee would have received temporary disability benefit. Permanent disability can be partial or total, and according to the degree of disability, compensation is awarded.

Permanent Partial Disability Benefits

If you suffer with permanent disability, you can receive the benefit throughout his life. Your compensation is calculated based on the percentage of your disability. Specific week number is allotted based on the severity of the disability and then it is multiplied to the weekly benefit factor to determine the benefit amount. If your disability is 1%, then the number of weeks is 4 while it is 694.25 weeks for a disability of 99.75%. Some insurers pay two-thirds of the weekly salary as the benefit for permanent partial disability.

Pension

A small amount may be paid by certain state governments as pension throughout the life for disabilities which are in the 70% or more disability percentage groups. For example, this pension is paid in the state of California for permanent disability. However, this pension amount can be up to a maximum of $257.69, and it starts only after the last payment of the permanent partial disability benefit is made.

Other Benefits

Apart from the permanent disability benefit, you are also entitled to receive medical care and vocational rehabilitation expenses. Medical benefits mean that you will be compensated for all your doctor fees, diagnosis fees, hospital and medical expenses incurred in the treatment of your injury. Vocational rehabilitation is required when your injury has kept you away from the current job and you have no means of income. You may have to undergo a training to learn a new job. These training expenses can be met with vocational rehabilitation benefits.

Final Word

Just filing a workers’ compensation form for permanent disability benefits will not be sufficient to get your benefits. Your claim will be accepted only if there are evidence and supporting documents. Your benefits might be cut if your case is not presented strongly; hence, you can take the help of a disability lawyer. This will not only make your case successful but also help you claim the benefit according to your disability.

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