Worker's Comp While Working
If you have a work-related injury and are eligible to receive worker;s comp, you may be able to work and receive benefits at the same time. However, your injury must abide by certain guidelines and be deemed a partial permanent disability, so read on to learn more.
Three Categories of Disability
Worker's compensation insurance is available for workers who fall into the following categories.
1. Temporary: This is the most common type of compensation available and lasts from the time of your injury until you have been cleared by a doctor to return to your normal work tasks and schedule. Normally, you are eligible to receive a portion of your salary while you recuperate and will have your medical expenses taken care of.
2. Permanent: This determination may take place quickly for those with catastrophic injuries or later on for those with injuries that never heal enough for the worker to return to their job. In some states, this determination follows a medical exam and a ruling of Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). A ruling of MMI doesn't mean that you no longer require medical treatment but that your medical condition is not expected to improve much, if at all, and that you will likely never be able to do the same type of work as you did before.
3. Partial: This ruling means that you have reached MMI but that you may still be able to do some types of work, even if on a reduced schedule.
Partial Permanent Disability
Normally, this ruling comes with a percentage number of disability, such as a 20% disability. The amount of disability reflects the amount of compensation you can expect to receive. For example, a 20% disability would make you eligible for 20% of your former job's salary.
What to Expect
In most states, vocational rehabilitation is offered to help you train for a different type of work, if necessary. In some cases, you may be able to do your previous job but with a part-time instead of full-time schedule. Compensation may be paid either weekly or as a lump-sum payment. You will, of course, still be paid for any time you actually work as well, but worker's comp can be expected to help fill the gap between your pre-injury salary and your present earnings.
The worker's comp process can be extremely confusing, and for those with a partial disability it can be even more so. Make sure that you have a legal expert on your side for this stressful time period; contact a worker's comp attorney, such as one at Gilbert, Blaszcyk & Milburn LLP, as soon as possible after your injury.