Blog Topic
Recent Updates
October 01, 2008
Understanding Indiana Worker?s Compensation Act
October 01, 2008
Potential Third Party or Personal Injury Claims after a Worker's Compensation Injury
September 24, 2008
Soccer goals recalled after child is strangled
September 22, 2008
Agency Recommends Increased Emphasis on Truck Driver Rest
September 11, 2008
Compensability in Work-Related Injuries
September 10, 2008
Taser Suffers a Rare Loss in Court - by: Mike Nizza
September 10, 2008
Taser handed first loss in stun gun wrongful death lawsuit
August 27, 2008
Medical Treatment While Receiving Worker's Compensation Benefits
June 19, 2008
Extending the Thong, err, Wrong Message
May 06, 2008
SECONDARY INJURIES DURING A WORKER?S COMPENSATION CLAIM
Worker's Compensation
According to US Department of Labor report entitled Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2004, there are 4.3 million workplace injuries and illnesses reported in private industry which is approximately 4.8 cases per 100 full-time workers per year. In Indiana, if you sustain a work-related accident, your employer, through their worker's compensation insurance company, directs all of your medical care. Therefore, it is extremely important that you report any accident or injury in the workplace to your employer immediately. Failure to report an injury in a timely manner may result in your worker's compensation claim being denied. Once you have reported your injury, your employer should instruct you where to go for medical treatment. If your injury prevents you from returning to work and you are off of work for more then 7 days, you are entitled to receive disability benefits at the rate of 2/3 of your Average Weekly Wage (AWW). Your employer must provide medical treatment until you reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). At that time you will be released from doctor's care and your disability benefits will terminate. If your injury has any lasting effects, the treating physician may assign permanent work restrictions and a Permanent Partial Impairment (PPI) rating. This impairment rating directly affects the amount of money that you will receive for settlement of your worker's compensation claim. For more information including how to obtain more medical treatment or challenge the work comp doctor's impairment rating, call or email the attorneys at Wagner Reese & Crossen.
SECONDARY INJURIES DURING A WORKER?S COMPENSATION CLAIM
Posted by: Judy Pippin
May 06, 2008
If you are currently receiving medical treatment for a work-related injury and you experience a subsequent injury, you need to report the second injury to your employer as soon as possible. If the second injury happened at work, then your employer may open a totally new worker's compensation case. However, if the second injury did not happen at work, but you think it may have happened because of the work injury--you may still be covered under worker's compensation. If you would like more information on subsequent injuries, please contact the attorneys at Wagner Reese and Crossen.
