When you take a job, there are certain risks. You could have a personality conflict with your supervisor and discover that you can’t keep your position with the company. You could also end up sickened due to chemical exposure or injured because of a fall or a machinery malfunction.
Most employees in Georgia can trust that workers’ compensation insurance will protect them from the possible consequences of a medical issue related to their employment. If you understand the benefits that are potentially available to you, you may have an easier time pursuing a claim after a diagnosis or incident at work.
What are the primary benefits that workers’ compensation provides?
Medical benefits
Although you may have health insurance as one of your job benefits, the insurance company likely passes some of your care costs on to you. Many policies have a deductible, meaning you have to pay thousands of dollars before they pay for any of your treatments.
Other policies may have co-pays, so you will have to pay a flat fee every time you attend an appointment or pick up a prescription medication. There are also many insurance policies with coinsurance, which means that the policyholder pays a certain percentage of their total medical bills themselves. Workers’ compensation pays for all of your care without making you responsible for the cost.
Short-term disability benefits
When you get hurt on the job, you may need to go to the hospital. The more significant the injury is, the more likely you are to miss multiple days of work because of it. Workers can replace their lost wages during their recovery with short-term or temporary disability benefits.
They may qualify for total temporary disability if they need to take a leave of absence or partial temporary disability if they need to accept a lower-paying role until they recover.
Long-term disability benefits
Some workplace injuries, including brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, will forever alter someone’s earning potential. Workers may qualify for permanent partial disability benefits if they have to change professions and will earn less money. They could also qualify for permanent total disability benefits if they cannot work at all because of their condition.
When you understand the different kinds of benefits available, is easier for you to make a claim and to negotiate for the support that you require. Finding out more about how workers’ compensation functions will make the claims process less intimidating.