Workers’ Compensation Temporary Disability Payments – Overview of How It Works, Who Qualifies, How Long It Lasts
Employees who have been injured or become ill caused by their employment conditions or a specific incident may be covered by workers’ compensation law. Employers throughout the United States are required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance which offers compensation to employees injured during a workplace accident. This then changes a little bit for someone that might be self-employed, they’ll be finding themselves needing to search for these own occupation disability insurance quotes as they can’t be offered disability insurances by an employer. Knowing about short-term disability benefits will ensure that you get the required compensation in the event of a workplace injury. After a workplace injury, there may be a need to contact a personal injury attorney to help settle a case, especially if any issues have arisen. Workers can look over here as well as research helpful information about the next best steps to take during this time.
An Overview of the Workers’ Compensation Short Term Benefits
Workers’ compensation temporary benefits are provided for a temporary disability that occurs due to an accident at the workplace. Generally, workers who suffer from temporary disability will continue to receive a percentage of their normal compensation until they return to the old job. If the injury is more serious or permanent, the employee may be eligible for permanent disability.
All states require employers to have insurance that will provide an adequate amount to the worker for short-term or temporary disability. These disability insurance premium prices can help to give anybody looking into this type of insurance a better idea of what they will need to pay to ensure they have coverage in case anything should happen. The amount of the payments should be sufficient to cover medical payment for treatment of the injury and a portion of the employee’s salary. If this does not happen, people can go to disability insurance attorney services and pursue other options. The disability payment is paid while the worker is recovering from the injury that prevents him or her to carry on the job.
Temporary disability benefits are of two types:
- Temporary Total Disability (TTD) Benefits
- Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) Benefits
TTD benefits are payments that a person receives when the injury prevents from performing any type of job. On the other hand, TPD benefits are payments for injuries that prevent the injured worker from performing some types of job. A person is eligible for TPD when a doctor advises that a person restricts a particular type of work, or a reduction of hours.
How to Qualify for the Temporary Disability Payments?
Keep in mind that no income taxes are paid on temporary disability benefits. You can qualify for temporary disability benefits if the following conditions are met:
- You are eligible for workers’ compensation
- You have reported the injury to the employer
- You have filed a compensation claim
- You seek medical treatment for the temporary disability under the state rules
- Your doctor has recommended that you can’t work or perform certain duties
Generally, the doctor will give a recommendation regarding the work a person can and cannot perform due to a workplace injury. In case a person disagrees with the opinion of the doctor, he or she can request an opinion from another qualified medical examiner. Also, the claims administrator, who represents the insurer of the employer, can challenge the opinion of the doctor and request an opinion from another qualified medical examiner.
How Long Temporary Disability Payments Last?
A person receives temporary disability benefits until the doctor gives a recommendation that the injury is fully healed, or when payments have been given for more than 104 weeks for a single disability. The claims administrator will send a letter when ending the temporary disability payments stating the reason for the action.
You should consult an experienced workplace injury attorney to know more about temporary & short-term disability payments.