Workers’ compensation benefits are not one-size-fits-all

When workers are injured on the job, the Ohio workers’ compensation system should provide them with benefits. Typically, these benefits are tied specifically to the costs of  medical care and lost wages, but in some situations the benefits work differently.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation has a long list of available benefit types, including:

• Temporary total disability
• Permanent partial disability
• Wage loss benefits
• Change of occupation benefits
• Survivor benefits

There are variations of each of these, and there are several more types of benefits in addition to the ones listed above. Each type is intended to address different situations and needs. For instance, survivor benefits are for family members of a worker who died as the result of a work-related injury.

Disability benefits

Most people who are injured on the job return to work within a week, but after a serious injury, a worker may be unable to return to work for months. In cases of permanent injury, the worker may never be able to return to the type of work they once did, or they may never be able to return to work at all.

The different types of disability benefits can help workers in these situations. For instance, a worker who is unable to work at all for several months may receive temporary total disability benefits. If they are permanently injured and unable to earn as much money as they did before the accident, they may receive wage loss benefits and/or permanent partial disability benefits. If their permanent injury forces them to change to a completely different line of work, they may receive change of occupation benefits.

It’s important to note that many types of workers’ compensation benefits expire after a period of time. Workers who have been permanently disabled may need benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance program.

Legal help

Unfortunately, many injured workers have a hard time getting all the benefits they need. Employers and their insurance companies sometimes refuse to honor claims, or fail to give the workers the full amount they need in benefits. In these cases, the help of a workers’ compensation attorney can be crucial.