When you’re hurt in a work accident, you need benefits that cover all your needs. Your medical expenses and lost wages can be costly, and they can impact your life if you do not have the coverage you need.
If you’re struggling to understand the benefits you are due, do not hesitate to contact the team at Shelly Leeke Law Firm. Our firm is here to make getting your benefits and overcoming the injuries you suffered possible. Reach out for the answers and guidance you need.
Definition of Indemnity for Workers’ Comp Claims
Work accidents often leave workers with more than just an injury. It also means they may need days, weeks, months, or even years off work. Healing takes time, and a serious injury may certainly change the timeframe for you to rejoin the workforce.
Indemnity benefits cover the lost wages you have suffered because you are unable to work after an accident. These benefits for your lost wages may not offer the entirety of your check, but they can provide the funds you need to maintain your quality of life, pay your bills, and support yourself and your family.
These benefits can also help supplement your income if you are able to return to light duty but cannot maintain the hours or impact that you did in the past. Taking a cut in pay can be difficult, especially when your needs may be at their highest. Indemnity benefits make it easier for you to live comfortably during this difficult time.
Calculating Indemnity Benefits
Before you receive your workers’ compensation benefits, you need to know what your indemnity benefits include. Ensuring you are getting the maximum benefits for your case ensures you have the funds to focus on your health and recovery, not solely on surviving during this difficult time.
Indemnity benefits can change depending on a number of factors, including your current compensation, the severity of your injuries, and how long your recovery will take. If you have any doubts or questions about your claim, talk to a lawyer about your options.
Temporary Total
In some cases, you may be completely unable to work, leaving you with no income without your benefits, but you will be able to return to work. For example, you may have broken your leg on the job, and while your injury will heal, you are unable to safely do your job. These benefits cover your needs during this time, ensuring you are not left without an income while you heal.
These benefits should cover up to 66 ⅔ percent of your wages, as long as these do not exceed the state’s maximum weekly wages. If you were working more than one job, be sure to speak with your lawyer about calculating these wages properly and getting the benefits you are due.
Permanent Disability Benefits
In some cases, an accident can leave you completely unable to work. You may have suffered a traumatic brain injury, for example, that changed your cognitive abilities and made working your job impossible. In these cases, working may be completely impossible for you.
Luckily, you do have options for ongoing, permanent benefits. In these cases, you may need to go to a doctor, who will give you an impairment rating, to determine the lost wage benefits you will receive for your injuries. This rating changes based on how severe your injuries were, the area of the body affected by the injury, and whether the injury impacted the entire body, such as a spine injury or traumatic brain injury.
South Carolina’s Indemnity Benefits Process
To get your indemnity benefits, you first need to seek medical care for your injuries, then report your injury to your employer. They are then responsible for reporting your accident to the insurance company responsible for their workers’ compensation.
Once you are approved for benefits, the insurance company will then calculate what benefits you are due. Your medical expenses should be covered completely, while your indemnity benefits are based on the severity, level of impairment, and other factors that can impact your case.
In many cases, you should be approved and start receiving your workers’ compensation benefits as soon as possible. If something goes wrong, or if you are denied the benefits you are due, speak with a lawyer about your options.
What to Do if Your Indemnity Benefits Are Denied
Sadly, many people go through the process to get their workers’ compensation benefits, only to find themselves denied the benefits they need. When this happens, you may need help getting the benefits you are due.
Luckily, you have options. Your lawyer can determine first why you were denied. Often, a denial can come from a simple mistake or misunderstanding that can be corrected. Next, your lawyer can speak with the insurance company, negotiating with them to get the benefits you are due. If the insurance company continues to fail to compensate you, your lawyer may file a claim and take your case to court.
If you are denied the benefits you need for recovery, reach out to the lawyers at Shelly Leeke Law Firm. Our attorneys understand how important these benefits are to your ongoing recovery, and we will not hesitate to do what is necessary to get you the benefits you deserve. If you believe you have been wrongfully denied, your lawyer may be able to give you the opportunity to get those funds.
Connect with a Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Myrtle Beach for Aid
After a work accident, many Myrtle Beach workers find themselves struggling to get the funds they need to maintain their quality of life. Unfortunately, many workers struggle to get the benefits they are due, especially if they are not familiar with the benefits they can seek.
Worried about getting your indemnity benefits?
Reach out for help with a lawyer from Shelly Leeke Law Firm. Our attorneys understand how difficult it can be to recover from a work accident, and we are here to make it easier for you and your family. When you are ready to take action, reach out for a free consultation by calling our team or completing the online contact form.
