Workers’ compensation insurance provides benefits to employees injured on the job or while engaged in job related activities. Claims can be complex and the laws about it vary from state to state. Benefits are paid by insurance companies who may not have your best interests at heart. Under these conditions you may wish to consult a workers’ compensation attorney. He or she will know regulations in the state where they practice, so if you live in central Iowa, for example, look for a Workers compensation attorney in Des Moines. In the meantime, here are a few essential facts about workers’ compensation insurance:
The range of problems covered by workers’ compensation law is very broad. It can include work related disease, heart attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological conditions. It also covers damage to parts of the body such as the neck, back, wrist or leg.
Benefits may include weekly payments that help to replace wages lost when you’re out of work, compensation for past and future economic losses, medical expense coverage and benefits for workers’ dependents if the injury results in death.
You should be aware that your benefits need not end if you are able to return to work. You’re entitled to lifetime medical benefits for an injury unless you give them up. If your injury results in a disability you may be entitled to benefits even if you are only partially disabled. You might qualify for benefits if you need vocational retraining.
To claim benefits for a work related injury you must act swiftly and give written notice immediately to your employer. Unless your employer has actual or written knowledge about the injury within 90 days from the date on which the injury happened, you will not be able to pursue a claim. (Some exceptions to this rule exist, which you can discuss with an attorney). If you need to bring suit to gain your benefits, there are statutes of limitations which define the time period during which you must file.
Deadlines, rules, and complex procedures can be very difficult to handle on your own when you are ill or injured. Having an experienced workers’ compensation attorney can result in receiving the most compensation to which you are entitled.
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