If you have a dangerous job, it is important for you to have a good understanding of workers’ comp. This is the system that compensates workers for any injuries they sustain while working. It is a complicated system and it can be difficult to understand all the ins and outs of it. A common question is whether or not workers still get paid after suffering an injury that makes it impossible for them to continue working. This guide will answer all the questions you have about this aspect.
Types of Compensation
There are two types of compensation that workers’ comp covers:
- Expenses
- Lost wages
Everyone knows that workers’ comp is designed to compensate injured workers for the medical expenses they have from an injury. But it does indeed also cover your lost wages from being unable to work. The goal is for the injured worker to be “made whole again,” or in other words, for them to be returned to the state they were in before the accident. This means you will still receive your salary as normal.
The Minimum Day Rule
There is one rule that affects your lost wages compensation in most states. Usually, you can only receive your salary if you miss a certain number of work days. In most states, the minimum is seven, although the laws and regulations vary greatly from one state to the next. In some states, you are only compensated if you miss 14 days, and other states have other numbers. If you miss fewer days than the minimum, you will not receive compensation for your lost wages. Importantly, you will always have your medical bills and other expenses compensated. There is no minimum regarding that aspect of workers’ comp. It may be a good idea to speak with a workers’ compensation lawyer if you want to figure out what the rules are for the state you work in.
Delay in Compensation
Another important aspect to keep in mind is that it can take several weeks or months for you to receive the compensation for your injury. This can pose an issue for workers who rely on their salary from week to week to get by. Reporting the injury as soon as possible will help make sure you are compensated as quickly as you can, but you may need to look into other options for getting by while waiting for your workers’ comp. A worker’s compensation lawyer, from our friends at Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt may help get it sorted out.