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Nobody should have to worry about whether or not they will receive workers’ compensation benefits if they sustained an on the job injury in San Bernardino. Thankfully, California law requires nearly every employer to provide certain benefits for injured workers. At DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo, our San Bernardino workers’ compensation attorneys want to discuss what kind of benefits are available under this system.
After sustaining a work injury, the most important part of this process is ensuring you receive the quality medical care you deserve. Workers’ compensation benefits will provide coverage for all medical expenses related to the on the job injury. This includes emergency medical treatment, coverage of extended care or physical therapy, medical devices, prescription medications, and more. For these cases, you will be treated by a doctor within the Medical Provider Network (MPN).
When an injured worker misses days of work, they risk losing valuable income needed to support themselves and their families. Temporary disability benefits are designed as a substitute for lost wages. These payments are made every two weeks after approval, and a worker will receive two-thirds of their average weekly wage (AWW) in compensation. Injured workers will receive these benefits for no more than 104 weeks within a five-year period from the day they are injured. For example, if a worker averaged $1,000 a week at their job, the temporary disability rate for wages will be two-thirds of that, or $667.
Permanent disability benefits are designed to help when an injured worker sustains a loss of future earning capacity due to their injuries. Permanent disability is rated on a scale, and workers are assigned a disability percentage ranging from 0% to 100%. If an injured worker has a disability rating of less than 100%, they are considered partially disabled and receive weekly compensations for only a set period of time. If an injured worker is 100% disabled, they will receive weekly benefits at the temporary disability rate for the remainder of their life.
Finally, workers may be entitled to certain job displacement benefits up to $6,000. These benefits will cover various expenses related to finding other employment if the worker is unable to return to the same job they were in. This includes tools and training programs, resume and placement services, licensing and exam fees, computer equipment, and more. An employer can avoid making a job displacement benefit payment if they provide the worker with regular, alternate, or modified work that is at least 85% of the salary of their previous job, within reasonable commuting distance from the injured worker’s home, and that lasts at least 12 months.
If you have sustained an injury at work, but are having trouble receiving your rightful benefits, you may need to speak to an attorney immediately. Let the San Bernardino workers’ compensation attorneys at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo investigate all aspects of your case in order to secure the compensation you deserve. The total amount of compensation an injured worker receives will vary depending on the circumstances surrounding their particular case. You can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or by calling (909) 436-4610.