We offer Workers' Compensation insurance so your business can provide benefits for those who suffer an occupational injury or disease. Depending on the circumstances of the injury or illness, injured workers are entitled to specific benefits as structured by Workers Compensation insurance. There are six basic types of Workers Compensation benefits: medical care, temporary disability benefits, permanent disability benefits, vocational rehabilitation services, supplemental job displacement benefits, and death benefits. Injured workers may be entitled to one or more of these benefits.
Medical Care
Injured workers are entitled to receive all medical treatment reasonably required to cure or relieve the effects of a work-related injury or illness. Medical care can include physician services, hospitalization, physical restoration, physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, dental care, prescriptions, x-ray, laboratory services, or any other care considered necessary or reasonable by the treating physician and may be subject to applicable treatment guidelines.
First Aid Treatment
First aid treatment is included as medical care that all employers must provide for their injured employees.
Temporary Disability
When a worker is unable to return to work within three days of his/her injury or illness, he/she is entitled to temporary disability benefits to help partially replace wages lost as a result of the injury or illness. A physician must verify that an injured employee cannot work because of an on-the-job injury or illness before temporary disability benefits are payable. The benefits are generally designed to replace two-thirds of lost wages, up to the current maximum prescribed by law. Benefits are payable every two weeks until the employee is able to return to work or until the employee’s condition becomes permanent and stationary as reported by the treating physician. Current law limits benefits to a 2 year maximum and increases the maximum to 4 years for certain specified injuries.
Permanent Disability
If a work-related injury or illness results in permanent impairment to an employee, the employee may become eligible for permanent disability benefits. The amount (percentage) the employee receives depends on the extent of the physical injury or disfigurement and consideration being given to an employee's diminished future earning capacity. Other factors that are considered when calculating permanent disability include: the date of injury, the age of the employee when injured, and the employee’s occupation. The State of California has a process for calculating the permanent disability amount using a evaluation board.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Vocational Rehabilitation Services are offered to injured workers who are unable to return to their former type of work. The services include the development of a suitable plan, the cost of any training, and a maintenance allowance while participating in rehabilitation.
Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit (after 01/01/04)
This benefit acts as a nontransferable voucher for education-related retraining and/or skill enhancement that is payable to a state approved or accredited school if the worker is injured on or after 01/01/04. To qualify for this benefit, the injury must result in permanent disability, the injured employee does not return to work within 60 days after temporary disability ends, and the employer does not offer modified or alternative work. There is a maximum voucher amount set by law and the amount varies based upon the extent of permanent disability.
Death Benefits
Death benefits are paid if a worker's death arises out of and in the course of employment. These benefits consist of a burial allowance and a weekly income benefit designed to help compensate those dependent on the lost income. These weekly wages of the deceased worker are subject to a maximum and minimum weekly benefit. A time limit often applies to such benefits, with the children's benefits usually ending at age 18 and a spouse's benefits usually ending at remarriage.
Please contact me via email James Goodacre, or call us at 831-626-9250. We can discuss the most cost effective workers' compensation insurance options for your company.