When you have a workplace injury, it is generally covered by workers’ compensation insurance. Depending on the type and severity of the injury, you may be entitled to permanent or temporary disability compensation.
Workers’ compensation should cover medical expenses for all workplace injuries but may not cover lost wages. The coverage does not immediately kick in, and the employer must use paid time off (PTO) for the first few days to compensate for lost wages.
Workers’ comp insurers are required to pay claims but also minimize payouts for their shareholders, undervaluing Kansas City temporary disability workers’ compensation claims. For more information and to secure legal help, call a seasoned employment benefit disability attorney today.
There are two types of temporary disabilities in Kansas City workers’ compensation claims—partial and total. The nature of the disability can determine whether you are entitled to any disability payments. If the temporary disability is partial, you are able to perform some work. If your employer offers you a job that you can perform, you do not have to take work, but its availability will prevent you from being eligible for disability payments.
If you take other work that pays less than your regular job, then you are eligible for temporary partial disability payments. These benefits are weekly and for 2/3 of the difference between your regular average weekly pay and the weekly pay you are receiving on the light duty or modified duty job.
For total temporary disabilities, you are unable to perform any work duties. In that case, the insurer will pay you 66 and 2/3 percent of your average weekly salary in temporary disability benefits until you are cleared to return to work or your medical providers decide you have recovered as much as you are likely to. At that point in time, the insurer may need to determine whether you are eligible for permanent total or partial disability benefits.
Payment for lost wages under workers’ compensation can help an employee who is unable to work, but it is unlikely to meet an individual’s financial needs. Many employees will push to return to work before they are medically ready because they need the total amount of their average wages.
One undeniable benefit of temporary disability coverage for workers’ compensation claims in Kansas City is that it provides for your medical treatment. Generally, even if a person has good medical insurance, they are responsible for copayments, out-of-pocket deductibles, and other expenses.
These costs can quickly add up to thousands of dollars on top of someone’s insurance premiums. Workers’ compensation coverage for medical treatments has no copays, deductibles, or other out-of-pocket expenses.
Workers’ compensation claims are a total of inherent conflicts. The insurer, paid by the employer and accountable to stockholders, determines whether an employee has a qualifying injury and how long their recovery will take. They send you to a doctor who has an established relationship with the employer and the insurer, and the doctor is in charge of defining the nature of your disability and determining when you can return to work.
To heal appropriately, you must wait to return to work until it is medically advisable. Earning just 2/3 of your average salary can put tremendous financial pressure on you to return to work early, jeopardizing your long-term health. While a lawyer cannot remove those inherent conflicts from the system, they can help you navigate them. Schedule a meeting with a Kansas City temporary disability workers’ compensation claims attorney to learn more.
(816) 781-4836