Some of the benefits of Workers Compensation Insurance are;
Temporary Disability Benefits
If the doctor who is in the "Medical Provider Network" of the employers workers compensation insurance carrier issues a medical report certifying that in his opinion you are temporarily unable to work, you will be entitled to receive 2/3 of your gross pay until you are declared to be medically able to return to work. If you are declared to be able to work only part time but the doctor while he is treating you, the amount of pay which you receive from your employer should be supplemented by his workers compensation insurance carrier up to an amount equal to 2/3 of the gross pay which you were earning at the time of your injury. These benefits usually cease after 2 years from the date of inquiry.
Permanent Disability Benefits
When the treating doctor decides that your medical condition has stabilized, and that your condition is not likely to deteriorate nor improve, you will be entitled to receive monetary compensation for the medical disability which remains. The doctor will issue a medical report containing his estimate of the percentage which your working ability has been reduced from 100% it used before your work related injury.
Medical Treatment
Although the Workers Compensation Insurance carrier may dispute the cost of reasonable care, this will be a disagreement between the medical provider and the insurance carrier. These charges may be negotiated or litigated, but they will not become the responsibility of the injured worker.
Rehabilitation
Under the "new" law, the insurance carrier is only required to provide the disabled worker with a "voucher" or letter promising to pay to an accredited college or trade school an amount of money for job retraining.
A Workers Compensation Insurance carrier is entitled to dispute all of these issues and obtain medical reports to support their position. The resulting disputes can be resolved through negotiation or in the alternative, either side can request that the disagreement be resolved by a Workers Compensation Judge by requesting a hearing before the Workers Compensation Appeals Board.
