Workers’ Compensation, at its most basic level, is a form of insurance. The insurance provides workers with wage replacements benefits, vocational rehabilitation, and medical treatment in the event of an occupational illness or work-related injury. The insurance also covers the dependents of workers, as well provides benefits to the dependents if the worker died as a result of the occupational illness of workplace injury. Let us now take a closer look at the different benefits provided by workers’ compensation.
Wage Replacement Benefits. Wage replacement benefits are usually determined based upon the salary you were receiving at the time a worker experience a work-related accident, or when the worker contracted an occupational illness. It is best that the injured worker hold on to materials related to the accident, such as an accident report, and all related medical information, as this information will most likely be needed to determine the wage replacement benefits as part as workers’ compensation.
Vocational Rehabilitation. As an injured worker, you may be unable to return to your previous job due to medical restrictions or physical inabilities. Vocational rehabilitation encompasses the various methods the employer of a disabled employee is required to provide in order to get that same employee back on the job market to become gainfully employed. A vocational rehabilitation counselor may be utilized in order to help with retraining a disabled worker or to assist in job placement. Remember, it may be helpful to have your workers’ compensation lawyer present at your meetings with a vocational rehabilitation counselor. The workers’ compensation lawyer can help you to discern if the vocational rehabilitation counselor has your best interests in mind.
Medical Benefits. Medical benefits, under workers’ compensation, aid the injured worker in paying the necessary medical care to treat the injured worker for his or her work-related injury or occupational illness. Usually, the employer’s workers’ compensation insurer will pay the medical benefits directly to the provider of the medical services. Usually, the employer will choose the physician who will care for the injured worker or for the worker suffering from an occupational illness. The employer will either choose the physician personally, or will choose a physician through his or her insurance carrier. In the event of an emergency, an exception exists. The disabled worker can choose the treating physician on the condition that he or she notifies the employer as soon as possible about the occurrence and they will then discuss together how to proceed.
This article skimmed the surface about workers’ compensation and related benefits. It is best to contact a workers’ compensation lawyer in your area if you have further questions about the topic or about your particular case.
Angiuli and Gentile, LLP is a highly respected full-service law firm with offices located on Staten Island. Workers’ compensation has remained a division within their firm for over the last twenty-five years. Their experienced team has negotiated workers’ compensation claims for countless clients during this time. Angiuli and Gentile, LLP carefully works with each client to create a plan for the future success of each case. For more information about Angiuli and Gentile, LLP, and to learn how their dedicated and talented team can help with your next workers’ compensation claim, log on to http://www.AGLawNYC.com.