The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that roughly 2.8 million workplace injuries take place in the US.
If you too were hurt at work, then it’s time to file a workers’ compensation claim. You can learn more here on how workers’ compensation works so that you’ll know what to expect next throughout this process.
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation covers the state laws that guarantee workers injured at work will receive reimbursement to pay for their medical fees. Workers’ Compensation helps an employee avoid suing their employer to recover their costs.
In most states, every business must carry some form of workers’ compensation insurance to cover injured employees.
How Workers’ Compensation Works
Georgia’s Division of Workers’ Compensation currently serves almost four million workers and a quarter of a million employers in Georgia. They are responsible for ensuring that work injury claims are reimbursed consistently with existing workers’ compensation laws.
All 50 US states have individual workers’ compensation rules on how benefits work. Did you know work injury benefits fall into four different categories? Here they are:
What Are Temporary Total Disability (TTD) Benefits?
TTD benefits get disbursed to an employee if they are recuperating from a workplace injury and unable to return to work.
There’s a waiting period to receive TTD, where the injured worker must be away from work for a period of time before they can file their claim.
TTD benefits continue until the worker returns or reaches their state’s maximum number of weeks allowed off from work.
What Are Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) Benefits?
TPD benefits get paid to an employee who returns to their job in a reduced schedule or capacity.
TTD benefits will end when the worker returns to work in a full-time capacity or reaches their state’s maximum number of weeks allowed on the program.
What Are Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Benefits?
PPD benefits get disbursed to employees that experience permanent impairments, (i.e., loss of a limb) that took place during a workplace accident.
Payments correlate to the severity of the disabling injury. A number of weeks are assigned to an injury and multiplied by the worker’s salary that’s eligible under TTD.
PPD is paid out to a worker after they’ve reached their maximum medical improvement.
What Are Permanent Total Disability (PTD) Benefits?
PTD benefits get disbursed to workers when they become severely disabled due to a workplace injury and can’t return to any job in the workforce.
In some states, PTD benefits get reduced when the worker starts to receive Social Security Disability Insurance.
What Are Your Next Steps?
Are you ready to file a workers’ compensation claim? If you are, your first stop should be at your doctor’s office.
Ask your doctor for their input on any treatment plans you’ll need. Ask them for a timeline for when you can return to work full time.
With this information in hand, you and your employer can map out your return-to-work schedule and which work injury benefits you qualify for until you’re back full time.
Check out our website for more information on how workers compensation works in Georgia. Give us a call for a free consultation. Let us help you rise above your case.
