If you have been injured or have become ill on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation disability benefits. The role of disability benefits is to compensate you for wages lost while you cannot work. Some injuries or illnesses make it impossible to work for a certain amount of time or limit your ability to perform certain duties until you recover. Other disabilities may effect you indefinitely, making it impossible to engage in the previous range of duties or, perhaps, work in any capacity. Disabilities typically fall into one of four categories depending on if they are temporary or permanent, total or partial.
When you are totally incapacitated and cannot work at all for a defined period of time, it is considered a temporary total disability. You may not be able to work now, but your recovery and return to work is anticipated. If you are unable to perform ‘some’ of your duties for a ‘limited’ amount of time, but are otherwise engaged, you will likely qualify for temporary partial disability until you are able to resume your full duties.
A permanent partial disability is when an illness or injury is permanent and you are permanently unable to perform some of your duties, but can resume others. If you suffer a permanent total disability, you will not be able to return to work in any capacity.
If you have been injured at work or become ill due to certain causes related to your work, you are likely entitled to disability benefits within these four categories. After determining the limiting extent of the illness or injury in terms of temporary or permanent – total or partial, you may be eligible to receive benefits based on the amount you were earning prior to your injury.
If you have suffered and illness or injury at work, contact the workers’ compensation Law Offices of Stolze & Updegraff PLC for help.
