How long will I receive workers’ compensation benefits?

While workers’ compensation benefits can differ, depending on your state, most employees can receive the following help if they suffer an occupation-related injury or condition:

Healthcare Costs

Medical benefits under the workers’ comp program generally pay for all the necessary medical costs due to a work-related injury, including medications, hospital stays, medical devices, specialist appointments, and other expenses.

How Long Are Medical Benefits Available?

Workers’ comp typically pays for your medical treatments for a work injury or work-related condition for as long as it is medically necessary or until you fully recover. If you have a chronic and permanent occupational injury or condition, you could receive medical expenses for the rest of your life.

Income Replacement Benefits

Workers’ comp provides wage replacement payments for injured workers. Most employees receive up to two-thirds of their average weekly wages for a temporary or permanent disability until they return to work. In some states, workers who have a permanent disfigurement or disability, such as a loss of limb, loss of eyesight, or others, could receive a one-off payment.

How Long Are Wage Replacement Payments Available?

How long you will receive workers’ compensation benefits can vary from state to state and depend on the type of disability you experience. Most workers’ comp programs recognize the following types of work-related disability:

• Temporary disability
• Permanent disability
• Partial disability
• Full disability

If you qualify for temporary disability benefits, you could receive wage replacement benefits until:

• Your doctor states that you are fit to return to work
• Your return to work
• Your injury has reached maximum medical improvement

Temporary disability benefits are usually only available for a set amount of time, ranging from around three to seven years. However, permanently and fully disabled workers could receive benefits for the rest of their lives or until they reach retirement age.

Survivor’s Benefits

If an employee dies from a work injury, close family members and dependents could be entitled to death benefits, such as:

• Income benefits for the surviving spouse
• Maintenance payments for minor children and dependents
• Burial and funeral expenses

How Long Are Survivor’s Benefits Available?

In some states, spouses and dependents could negotiate a lump sum, in which case they would forfeit their rights to ongoing payments. However, when receiving death benefits installments, there will be certain limits to the length a spouse or children can receive payments. In most states, spouses of deceased workers receive benefits until they remarry or die.

Depending on the state, children can receive death benefits until they are either 18 years old or until they complete their education or vocational training. However, other states limit death benefits to a specific number of weeks or maximum dollar amount, regardless of the children’s ages or whether the spouse remarries.

You may be able to handle an uncomplicated claim for a minor injury on your own. However, if you suffer a disability or catastrophic injury at work, there could be a lot at stake. Getting what you deserve could be challenging without an advocate and professional legal representation.

Hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer can be critical if you are severely or permanently injured at work. Our workers’ compensation lawyers can protect your rights and fight for the benefits you deserve. Working with an attorney can be vital if:  

• You have a pre-existing injury that impacts your claim
• You suffered significant or life-changing injuries
• Your claim is complex
• Your employer fired you or otherwise retaliated after you filed a claim
• Your claim was denied or minimized
• You were hurt due to third-party negligence

How a Morgan & Morgan Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help

Morgan & Morgan’s dedicated workers’ comp attorneys could help you get the benefits you deserve for the length of time that you need them. We can help in various ways, including:

• Proving that you have an occupational injury or disease
• Gather the medical evidence needed
• Showing that you cannot return to work  
• Initiate and progress the appeals process if your claim is denied
• Ensure you receive a fair impairment rating  
• Communicate with your employer and the insurance company
• Filing a third-party lawsuit

You don’t have to worry about out-of-pocket attorney’s fees or legal expenses when we take on your case. We only get paid if we win and you receive the benefits you need.

Morgan & Morgan understands how important workers’ compensation benefits are for workers and their families. We believe that injured workers should not have to worry about how long they will receive workers’ compensation benefits and how they will make ends meet.

You deserve respect and dignity when you get hurt at work. Let us help. Contact us today to find out more in a free case review.