Workers Compensation – What are your Benefits?

Workplaces have to be kept safe by the employers for their employees as mandated by federal and state laws. However, accidents may still happen despite safety precautions and relatively safe environment in the workplace. Accidents are often unpredictable and it can strike anyone, anytime. Thus, workers compensation is put in place to make sure that if accidents do occur in the workplace or if employees get sick due to the nature of their job, they won’t have to worry for the expenses and lost wages. Workers compensation works as a form of insurance for employees provided fully by their employer. Benefits of worker’s compensation includes: medical care, rehabilitation cost, disability payments and in case of death, death insurance is paid out to the closest relative.

1. Medical Care benefits – Upon getting injured or getting sick, hospitalization is the immediate need. So workers compensation must really include this benefit. Under medical care, the hospital payment for treatment and tests are included in the compensation. If surgeries are needed then that is included too. Therapy and other after care therapy are usually paid for as long as they considered by medical practitioners as established medical practices that are proven to be effective. Experimental medical therapies and treatment are usually not included in the medical care benefits. However, what is included and not included may vary from state to state as to what are mandatory. Some employers also offer more than what is mandatory by the state. In some cases, employers also put a cap or limit to how much they can spend for your medical care. It is better to inquire with your company’s policies.
2. Rehabilitation Care Benefit – So some injuries require a person to take rehabilitation in order to regain the skills or cope with the result of the injury. Rehabilitation can be in a form of physical therapy and/or retraining programs. The cost of rehabilitation care should be covered under the workers compensation benefits.
3. Disability Benefits – Some injuries can be severe and result to disability. Disability is categorized into four types – temporary total disability, temporary partial disability, permanent total disability and permanent partial disability. If your injury resulted to a disability in any form, you are bound to get a form of payment. For temporary disabilities, the pay will stop once the doctors’ evaluation say that you have fully recovered and is able to return to normal activities.
4. Death Benefits – Some accidents that happen in the workplace can be very severe that it can result to death. When that happens, death benefits are in order for the dependents of the worker. Usually it is the spouse and kids that receive the payment, but parents who are dependent can also be given benefits. Some companies require the employees write their beneficiaries on their form for this purpose – to know who the beneficiaries will be in case of death. Apart from payment, which can be given in lump sum or other form, the benefits will also cover the cost for the funeral and burial expenses.