Workers Compensation: Understanding the Basics
Thousands of workers are injured at their job every year. Every company is different, and laws vary from state to state. However, if a worker is injured at work, the employer is required by law to pay for workers’ compensation benefits. There are instances where employees are hurt by a single event, such as falling, receiving burns from chemicals, or getting into a car accident while making deliveries, but some injuries are the result of repeated events, such as body aches from repetitive motions, or hearing loss from loud noises. The compensation one receives differ depending on the severity of an injury; understanding benefit options will help employees receive maximum workers’ compensation for their injuries.
Benefits of Workplace Compensation
When an employee is injured on the job, they’re eligible to receive immediate medical care including doctor visits, treatment services, medicines, equipment, and travel costs. If an injury prevents an employee from working for a certain amount of time, then an employee also qualifies to receive temporary disability benefits. However, if an employee never fully recovers from an injury, then that they are eligible for permanent disability benefits which are usually dispersed as monthly payments. Supplemental Job Displacement Benefits help an injured worker learn new skills if they receive permanent disability and don’t return to work for their same employer. Finally, death benefits are provided to the family of an employee who loses his or her life from an injury acquired at work.
The Process of Predesignating
It’s important to be prepared for potential injuries at any moment and to know who you will go to if you’re injured. Employees have the option of predesignating or going to their own personal physician or medical group to receive immediate treatment in the event of an injury. This prevents an employer’s own doctor from potentially underestimating the severity of the injury, but you can’t take advantage of it if you’re not prepared.
The first step an employee must take to predesignate is to submit in writing the name and address of his or her medical facility. An employee could either submit their own personal statement, fill out the DWC Form 9783, or use a form provided by their employer. The predesignated doctor must be a general practitioner, internist, pediatrician, obstetrician-gynecologist, or family practitioner. An employee cannot predesignate a physician unless that physician agrees in advance to treat that employee for job injuries. An employee can also not predesignate if they don’t have insurance coverage for other medical treatments before the injury date.
At Los Angeles Injury Group, our experienced attorneys have helped clients win cases against employers who failed to provide sufficient financial coverage for employee injuries. Although employers are required by law to pay for any work injury medical expenses, some employers do not comply, which is where we come in. We understand how life-altering work injuries can be, which is why we fight for our clients until they receive proper workers’ compensation. If you, or someone you love, received injuries at work, call (310) 954-7248.