There are two sources of workers’ compensation benefits in Glastonbury. Those that cover lost wages and those that take care of medical treatment. If a person suffers injuries at work, the insurance company is required to cover all reasonable and necessary medical treatment that relates to their injuries.
If an ambulance transports an individual to the hospital, and they need surgical or orthopedic care, workers’ comp should pay for these costs. During treatment, this person is likely to be out of work, at least until they are cleared to return without restrictions. Workers’ compensation pays injured workers two-thirds of their average weekly wage while they get better. Therefore, in general, worker’s comp pays for wage benefits while the individual heals and treatment to get better. A skilled workers’ compensation attorney could assess your case and determine which benefits you may be entitled to receive.
What Kinds of Damages Does Workers’ Comp Cover in Glastonbury?
The two largest sources of damages covered by workers’ compensation in Glastonbury are wage benefits for time out of work and medical treatment. However, benefits can get more specific. For instance, when a client must travel great distances to go to medical appointments, they may receive compensation for their mileage. In general, an injured employee may receive compensation for any out-of-pocket expenses and lost wages for time out of work.
Toward the end of a case when a person is done recovering or reaches maximum medical improvement, the insurance company may assign permanent partial disability. In this situation, a state statute identifies the compensation level depending on the kind of injury and limitations the person has. At that point, their lawyer could calculate the benefits an injured employee is entitled to receive to get full compensation.
Situations Resulting in Ineligibility for Workers’ Compensation Benefits
A person is not entitled to compensation when they are intoxicated, slacking at work, or engaging in inappropriate work behavior when they suffer injuries. Additionally, if the accident does not happen at work, an employee may not be entitled to workers’ comp benefits. As an example, an individual may be driving to work in the morning and get in a car accident. In this situation, they are not considered in the course and scope of their employment at that time and, therefore, may not be eligible to receive compensation benefits. Intentional misconduct and drug use, and any activity that does not happen in the course and scope of their employment results in a person being ineligible to obtain workers’ comp benefits in Glastonbury.
Workers’ Compensation and a Person’s Future Needs
A workers’ compensation claim stays open until the injured person closes it or leaves their job. The insurance carrier is responsible for treatment related to the initial work injury currently and into the future. In the future, if the individual requires additional treatment, they may need to fight the insurance company. However, the insurance company should continue to pay for the person’s future needs.
If someone is going to leave their employment, and their case is ready for settlement, a lawyer could add value to the claim. An experienced Glastonbury attorney understands the medical treatment protocols, knows what an injured employee is likely to need in the future, and could identify the cost of future treatment to make sure an individual receives the benefits they are entitled to in a workers’ comp settlement.
Double-Collecting Benefits
An individual in Glastonbury cannot legally double-collect wage benefits for workers’ compensation and unemployment at the same time. If a person gets injured and suffers termination shortly after, they could technically apply for unemployment to help them through if the employer contests their workers’ compensation claim. However, if they receive wage benefits during the time they are collecting unemployment, they must reimburse these payments. Employees in this situation need to talk to a lawyer to make sure they do not get into trouble by double-collecting.
Calculating Benefits
In Glastonbury, workers’ compensation benefits are calculated by taking the previous 52 weeks of earnings to determine the person’s average weekly wage based on those earnings. However, there are exceptions.
The Rate Benefit Table in Connecticut changes every year. It is used to identify someone’s benefit rate by taking their average weekly wage, and the number of dependents or exemptions they claim on their taxes. The amount is roughly two-thirds of one’s after-tax weekly wage. The more a person makes, the more money they get on a weekly basis. The same applies to the portion of permanent injuries.
For example, when someone in Connecticut has a 10 percent limitation to their neck, that is going to be 11.7 weeks of compensation. Someone who makes $1,000 a week for 11.7 weeks receives a lot of money. Someone who makes $250 for 11.7 weeks receives a small fraction. The amount of money they make also translates into the amount the injury is worth if they have a permanent disability.
Contact an Attorney in Glastonbury to Discuss Workers’ Compensation Benefits
If you suffered injuries while on the job, you may be entitled to certain benefits that could help you through this challenging time. However, determining your workers’ compensation benefits in Glastonbury could be difficult without a skilled attorney. Our team is here to help. For more information, call today.
