Receiving Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Atlanta and Phoenix

Posted in Workers Compensation

So you’ve been approved to receive workers’ compensation benefits after your workplace injury, that is great news! But you may now be wondering, what next? Oftentimes, there is a good amount of confusion over what happens after you’re approved to start receiving workers’ compensation benefits.

When do I start receiving the benefits? What all do the benefits entail?

If you’re wondering about questions like these, Cruz & Associates is located in Atlanta and Phoenix with bilingual attorneys who are available to answer your questions during this difficult time of your life. These are very common concerns our clients have after approval, and we’re here to help.

Overview of Workers’ Compensation Benefits

One of the most frequently asked questions surrounding workers’ compensation is “How much is my workers’ compensation going to be?” However, this answer is not the same for everyone and therefore cannot be answered so easily. Because your workers’ compensation benefits depend on the amount of money you were earning in your position and your employer’s coverage, we can’t give you an exact number for the amount of money you can expect to get from each paycheck.

A good estimate of what you will be receiving is about two-thirds of what you were making before you got injured, but there are circumstances where it could be more or even a little less. Meeting with a workers’ compensation attorney to discuss your individual circumstances is recommended for the most accurate information regarding your specific case.

The time in which you receive the first check can vary depending on whether the claim has been initially approved or denied. A claim goes directly to a number of different organizations, which can complicate the process. If you’ve been unable to work for more than seven days, you are entitled to temporary benefits. You can generally expect to receive a paycheck for temporary benefits in two to three weeks once a claim is filed.

How Workers’ Compensation Benefits Are Provided:

Both in the state of Georgia and Arizona, workers’ compensation benefits are provided to employees in a few different ways.

Immediate and Future Medical Costs:

Depending on the type of coverage your employer has, your workers’ compensation benefits cover most or all of your initial medical expenses. This includes major surgeries, minor procedures, doctors appointments, medications or treatments, and any medical devices you may need, such as a wheelchair or crutches.

Your workers’ compensation should also provide coverage for future medical expenses. In most cases, injuries do not just go away after one surgery or a single round of treatment, and certain rehabilitations are needed in order to get your body back to normal. Occupational therapy, physical therapy, or other therapies and services may be necessary in order for you to make a full recovery.

Disability Benefits:

If you experienced a workplace injury that has left you disabled, such as an amputation or spinal cord injury, (link those blogs on the words), your workers’ compensation benefits will include disability payments. These disability benefits are meant to replace the wages you would have received if you were not injured. However, these payments rarely reflect the same amount of money you earned on the job. They are often a certain percentage of your old wages in order to offset your cost of living while you recover.

Funeral Expenses:

In the tragic event of a loss of life due to a workplace accident, dependents of the deceased are compensated with a certain percentage of the employee’s wages. The family is also provided a certain sum to pay for funeral and burial expenses.

Contact an Experienced Attorney at Cruz & Associates to Learn More

If we haven’t yet answered all of your questions, we encourage you to contact one of our experienced attorneys to help answer any additional concerns you might have. Let our team of workers’ compensation attorneys in Phoenix or Atlanta help provide you with complete clarity regarding your workers’ compensation payments, so you can focus on recovering from your workplace injury.