In Pain, Out of Work and Can't Pay the Bills
A Resource Directory for People with CRPS

Workers' Compensation

Workers' Compensation laws are designed to make sure that employees who are injured or disabled on the job are provided with fixed monetary awards, eliminating the need for litigation. Workers' compensation was originally designed as a "no fault" system for employees injured at work, and to cover their medical expenses and provide income until they were able to return to work.

These laws also provide benefits for dependents of those workers who are killed because of work-related accidents or illnesses. Some laws also protect employers and fellow workers by limiting the amount an injured employee can recover from an employer and by eliminating the liability of co-workers in most accidents.

Each state administers its own program, although the Federal Employement Compensation Act provides workers compenation for non-military federal employees.

Benefits

There are six basic types of workers compensation benefits available, depending on the nature, date, and severity of your injury:

1. medical care
2. temporary disability benefits
3. permanent disability benefits
4. vocational rehabilitation services
5. supplemental job displacement benefits
6. death benefits

You also are compensated for lost wages as long as you are considered partially or permanently disabled.

Return to work

Under workers' compensation laws, the physician who treats you is charged with assessing what percentage of disability you have and when you are fit to work again. This is in addition to the usual treatment responsibilities.

Filing a Claim

The employer files the claim. You should report an injury to your employer as soon as it happens, and they should take it from there. For your own records, you may want to jot down the details about the accident.

In general, your employer will file a claim with its insurance carrier, which in turn files with the state. Or, if your company is self-insured, it will file the claim directly with the state.

If you are concerned about the status of your workers' compensation claim, you should check with your employer first and then seek out your state's workers' compensation agency.

What do I do if I am wrongly denied benefits?

You may have to resort to litigation, but first try to work with your state's ombudsman or mediators. You can find them through your state's workers' compensation agency.

US Department of Labor Workers' Compensation Guide

The National Association of Injured and Disabled Workers (NAIDW) is a nonprofit charitable foundation where injured and disabled workers and their families find the resources, support, and guidance they need to reclaim their lives. NAIDW’s purpose is to provide short-term financial assistance to injured & disabled workers and their families as a result of injury, disability or illness.

More Information

Introduction
Assistive Devices
Caregiver Resources
Clinical Trials
Disability Resources
Government Assistance Programs
Health Services/Insurance
Independent Living Centers
Legal Aid
Living Expenses
Patient Assistance Programs
Service, Faith-based, and Private Organizations
Transportation
Veterans
Workers Compensation

Appendices:
Federal Poverty Guidelines
Finding Free Clinics

Updated November 4, 2010