If you have suffered an injury while working or you have been diagnosed with an occupational disease because of your work, you have probably filed a claim for workers' compensation benefits. You might have recently learned you will be out of work for a long time, or you might be permanently disabled. In such cases, you might wonder how long you will be eligible to receive workers' compensation benefits. Actually, how long you can receive benefits depends on the state where you work. States limit how long you can receive temporary disability benefits for your work injury. These time limits vary from three years to seven years. However, permanent disability benefits might kick in for those who are going to be out of work even longer or unable to return at all. A workers' compensation attorney can help you with your claim. Long-Term Disability Through Workers' Compensation If you are going to be out of work longer than the short-term disability benefits covers, you can pursue long-term disability benefits. Most states allow you to receive long-term disability benefits indefinitely while some states terminate the weekly benefits when the worker turns 65. You will need a workers' compensation attorney to help you with your claim. Your attorney can help you get a settlement set up properly so the majority of the money will not be taken by Social Security because your illness or injury might make you eligible to receive Social Security Disability benefits. Your lawyer can help you with the process to ensure you get the maximum benefits to which you are entitled after a debilitating incident at work that has left you injured or suffering from a disease. Determining Your Benefits Usually, your workers' comp pay is a percentage of your regular wages. However, most states have a set maximum pay that is allowed through workers' comp. Your attorney can determine how much you are entitled to in weekly benefits and will work to get you a fair settlement. In most cases, you will not have any out of pocket expenses. Any costs related to your case are advanced by the attorney and will be reimbursed when you receive your settlement. The usual process for determining lost wages is to take your weekly wage payable through workers' comp and multiply that by 52 to determine how much you would receive in a year. Then that figure is multiplied by the number of years you are expected to be out of work in order to determine a fair settlement. Consult With A Workers' Compensation Attorney If a work-related accident or illness has left you unable to work, you should consult with a workers' compensation attorney right away. With the help of a lawyer, you can increase your chances of a successful claim and be much more likely to receive all the benefits that you are entitled to receive. Schedule a free case evaluation today so you can get your claim on track. A strict statute of limitations applies, so file your claim before it is too late. Additional Resources What's a Statute of Limitations for Workers' Compensation? Can Workers’ Compensation Be Retroactive?
