These charts can help you understand the amount of compensation you are eligible for after suffering an on-the-job injury.
When you are hurt at work, you are not allowed to sue your employer in most circumstances, unlike if you are harmed in other ways, such as because of a car accident caused by a negligent driver. Instead, you typically must pursue a claim through the workers’ compensation system.
The good news is you don’t have to prove your employer was negligent to get compensation (unlike in a traditional personal injury case). Whenever you become sick or hurt as a direct result of performing your job or work tasks, you should receive workers’ comp benefits. These can include both coverage for your medical bills and temporary or permanent partial or total disability benefits.
You need to understand how much you should be receiving in these benefits, though, to protect your rights, especially since you can’t get compensation for things you normally might be eligible for in other injury claims such as for pain and suffering. These charts help you to determine what your case is worth.
In many situations, workers’ comp claims are settled, which means you agree to accept a lump sum payment and relieve your employer of any future obligations for covering costs. Only by reviewing these charts and learning what your claim should pay can you determine if a settlement offer is fair and appropriate for your situation.