Workers’ compensation is designed to provide benefits to employees who are injured. Generally speaking, injury is defined to include any health impairment, other than the normal wear and tear of the body, that results from employment activities. Workers’ comp is also payable to those who succumb to an occupational disease, or suffer occupational hearing loss, which arise out of and in the course of employment.
The law provides for the payment of all reasonable and necessary medical expenses to treat the injury including mileage to and from doctors visits and, in certain circumstances, lost wages incurred while obtaining medical treatment.
Depending on the debilitating effect of the injury, disease or hearing loss with regard to performing a job, injured employees may be entitled to temporary total or partial disability payments. In more serious cases, permanent partial disability or permanent total disability may be paid.
To request workers’ compensation benefits, the law requires employees to notify an employer of an alleged injury within 90 days of its occurrence. If not, benefits may be denied. The 90-day period begins to run when the employee knew, or should have known the injury arose out of and in the course of employment.
If you have been injured on the job, contact the Des Moines Law Offices of Stoltze & Stoltze PLC for help. We can assist you with filing your initial workers’ compensation claim, file an effective appeal if you have been denied workers’ compensation benefits and seek other compensation for your injury such as third party liability in some circumstances. Call our workers’ compensation work injury attorneys today for assistance 515-244-1473.
