Iowans injured on the job may worry about how they are going to pay for the medical care they need and put food on the table for their families. Fortunately, workers’ compensation protections can help ensure injured workers receive the medical care and treatment they need and help injured workers and their families with everyday expenses.
The different types of workers’ compensation benefits injured workers may be able to receive include:
- Medical expenses – injured workers can recover workers’ compensation benefits for all reasonable and necessary medical care and treatment which can include travel expenses related to the care required to treat the worker’s injury.
- Temporary total disability – injured workers can recover workers’ compensation benefits if they are totally disabled and are unable to work for a temporary period of time. Wage replacement benefits may be available to injured workers suffering from temporary total disability.
- Temporary partial disability – injured workers can recover workers’ compensation benefits if they are partially disabled and are unable to work for a temporary period of time. Wage replacement benefits may be available to injured workers suffering from temporary total disability.
- Permanent total disability – injured workers can recover workers’ compensation benefits if they are permanently unable to work because of a workplace injury they have suffered.
- Healing period – injured workers can recover workers’ compensation benefits due to a permanent impairment they have suffered because of a workplace injury.
- Death benefits – surviving family members may be able to recover compensation for funeral expenses following a fatal workplace accident that claims the life of a loved one on the job.
Workers’ compensation benefits are valuable, and at times essential, benefits for injured workers and their families to help them face the challenges associated with a workplace injury or death. As a result, it is important for injured workers to know what workers’ compensation benefits include, what they can help with and how injured workers and their families can obtain the benefits they need while they are injured and unable to earn a living.