Accounting for Present and Future Needs through Maryland Workers’ Compensation Claims
When accounting for present and future needs through Maryland workers’ compensation claims, attorneys often look at what doctors suggest. Certain injured workers may need lifestyle changes and attorneys often try to document these needs when filing on behalf of an injured worker.
If you were harmed within the scope of your employment and need help filing your workers’ compensation claim, reach out to an experienced workers’ compensation attorney today.
Benefits Covered by Maryland Workers’ Compensation System
There are essentially five kinds of benefits. Three are wage replacement benefits and two are for permanent disability. There are three that cover lost time from work. There is temporary total disability (TTD), which is when they are in active treatment and not able to do their job and they are not working at all.
Temporary partial disability (TPD) is when they have restrictions and they are back to work in a restricted capacity. They are still in active treatment but they are earning less than they did before because of fewer hours or maybe the temporary job pays less.
Finally, there are vocational rehabilitation benefits which pay the same as the temporary total which is two-thirds of the average weekly wage. VR benefits are due when the claimant is actively engaged in a vocational rehabilitation program, which is a form of job search.
The other two kinds of benefits are for permanent disability in which there are permanent partial disability (PPD) and permanent total disability (PTD).
The Role of the Attorney When Claiming Benefits
Benefits must be supported by medical opinions and medical evidence. Without a lawyer, it is frequently incredibly difficult to get the medical evidence they need to get those benefits paid.
Obtaining Necessary Coverage
The first thing a workers’ compensation lawyer often does is make sure the injured worker is getting qualified medical care and is treating with good doctor. The attorney will make sure that the doctor puts in writing what is necessary to get benefits paid, and what is necessary to get the wage replacement benefits paid is that the client is unable to work due to the work-related incident.
Future and Current Needs
Unless injured workers settle a workers’ compensation claim, their rights and entitlements continue forever. They have the right to medical treatment forever related to the work injury, and they have the right to ongoing benefits as needed, and this right can also continue forever, but there are some time restrictions and some limitation periods within that period. However, as long as they keep satisfying that 5-year period, it is possible to keep a claim open forever.
Can Injured Workers Receive Unemployment Benefits and Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
Injured workers cannot receive the wage replacement at the same time as unemployment insurance benefits. They cannot receive temporary total or temporary partial or vocational rehabilitation benefits at the same time as unemployment benefits. They can, however, receive permanent disability benefits at the same time.
Comparisons Between Wage and Compensation for Missed Work
At the beginning of the case, a person’s average weekly wage is set, that average weekly wage is typically based on the 14 weeks of earnings before the work injury. It is an average of those 14 weeks. The temporary total, the wage replacement payments, temporary total, and the voc rehab are two-thirds of the average weekly wage. The permanent disability benefits are also a percentage of the average weekly wage.
Account for Current and Future Needs Through a Maryland Workers’ Compensation Claim
When it comes to accounting for current and future needs through a Maryland workers’ compensation claim, injured workers need only to turn to an attorney who could ensure they file their claim properly. These benefits are designed to help workers compensate for missed work and, ideally, with the goal of them returning to the workforce. To claim your benefits, choose to work with an attorney.
