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The 4 Types of Disability Benefits for Injured Workers in California

  • Published: February 24, 2021

Getting hurt on the job can happen to anyone. Regardless of what industry you are in, it’s possible to suffer a serious injury while at work that changes your overall quality of life. Injured workers in California looking for disability benefits should know their rights and what they are entitled to after they experience an accident.

Depending on the severity of your injury, you can get a variety of benefits from workers’ compensation. This article explains which benefits in California are available to injured workers and why a lawyer who is experienced in obtaining compensation for their clients should be consulted after a work-related accident.

1. Medical Coverage

After experiencing a traumatic injury, one of the first concerns that victims have is whether or not their medical bills will be covered. Fortunately, most employees in California who file for workers’ compensation benefits are awarded the funds necessary to pay for some of their recovery expenses. Medical coverage is offered to the victim until they are considered fully recovered, and that coverage can help eliminate expenses such as:

  • Appointments with doctors, physical therapists, or specialists
  • Hospital treatments or visits
  • Nursing or hospice care
  • Medical equipment and medications

While an employer may be required to offer managed care plans for their team members, an injured worker may learn that certain treatments are not eligible for coverage by their employer’s insurance company. For example, someone who was injured in an accident on a construction site might learn that they would benefit from an experimental treatment, but their employer’s insurance may not cover it.

If there is any doubt about new types of therapy and whether they are covered by workers’ compensation benefits, an experienced legal professional can help you determine the best course of action.

2. Disability

If an employee loses the ability to work after experiencing an accident on the job, they qualify for disability benefits. These benefits are intended to replace any lost wages due to a work-related injury that results in a disability, which is classified in the following ways:

  • Temporary Total: Benefits paid during disablement based on a percentage of the employee’s average weekly wage
  • Temporary Partial: Benefits received as reduced pay while performing work during recovery, in addition to a percentage of the difference between their normal pay rate and the reduced pay
  • Permanent Total: Benefits based on a percentage of an employee’s average weekly wage, paid out for the remainder of their life, often until official retirement age
  • Permanent Partial: Benefits paid to an employee who permanently injures a body part listed in the schedule, the amount of which is based on a specified number of weeks of disability payments or based on the extent of the worker’s impairment

These payments can help out injured employees at a crucial time. Ensuring that disability is awarded to workers who experience a serious work-related injury in California is a vital part of their recovery.

3. Rehabilitation

Healing is a different journey for everyone, and it can be a difficult process depending on the severity of the injury. No two individuals will experience the same healing process, which is why the rehabilitation aspect of recovery is so important. After a work-related injury has begun to heal, the process of rehabilitation can begin.

Different varieties of rehabilitation are available for workers based on the injuries that they sustained. This can include anything from psychological rehabilitation with an experienced therapist or psychiatrist to specialized forms of vocational rehabilitation.

4. Death

In the unfortunate circumstance of an employee who experiences fatal injuries due to a work-related accident in California, the benefits and compensation will be paid out to their spouse, dependents, or children.

In addition to the financial payments that are sent directly to the victim’s family in their place, insurance companies will cover the cost of burial services for the deceased.

Contact a Trusted Workers’ Compensation Attorney in California

After an accident at work, it can be difficult to know where to start in order to receive your compensatory benefits. Your best course of action is to work with an experienced attorney who can help you obtain the financial benefits and compensation that you deserve after your injury. The team at KCNS Law Group will ensure that your case receives one-on-one attention and a dedicated approach by one of our expert attorneys.

To schedule your free consultation today, visit our website or give us a call at (818) 937-9255.

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