No matter how many safety protocols you follow while on the job, you may still find yourself getting injured due to your work. If this happens to you in Colorado, workers’ compensation may come into effect.
Workers’ comp is designed to help both the employer and the employee. It’s an insurance that employers must have, designed to help their employees who become injured or ill due to work-related conditions or events.
If you’re an employee who can’t work and is facing financial obstacles, understanding the kinds of benefits available will help you navigate the process to come.
Because there are numerous industries and jobs, there are numerous kinds of injuries that may occur while working.
Some of the most common injuries sustained at work include:
These conditions may cause ongoing discomfort that complicates your quality of life. When that happens, speaking with a workers’ compensation attorney will give you insight into how to proceed.
Workers’ compensation benefits come in six classifications of benefits.
If you need compensation for medical treatments, this benefit will provide it. You will receive financial support for several medical-related items and events including:
Example: If a painter falls off a ladder and sprains his arm, medical treatment may be necessary, and time off and pain medication may be unavoidable.
If you cannot return to work for a duration of time, you may be able to receive temporary total disability until you are able to work again. You will be paid two-thirds of your usual weekly wage and a maximum of $1,022.56 per week.
Example: If a cook cuts his hand and is unable to close it, making work impossible and surgery necessary, he may get temporary total disability benefits until his hand heals.
If you are able to work but cannot perform your usual duties yet and the new job offers a lower wage than you’re used to, temporary partial disability will help make up the difference. As of 2022, this has a maximum payout of $1,022.56 per week.
Example: If a server slips and falls and cannot stand on her feet, she may be tasked instead with answering calls and taking phone orders, making less money than she normally would.
When your work-related injury or illness makes working any job impossible, permanent total disability benefits can secure ongoing payments for life.
Example: If a construction worker is hit by a piece of equipment and becomes paralyzed and unable to work in any industry.
Permanent partial disability covers three categories:
If an employee dies due to a fatal accident on the job, their dependents may be eligible for compensation for funeral and burial costs and lost income. Income benefits are up to two-thirds of the weekly wage.
Example: A window washer falls from a high story and does not survive. Her husband and child are entitled to a death benefit because they are her dependents. Her child will receive this income until the age of 18.
Having a grasp of the kinds of benefits you may be entitled to is only part of the legal process when filing a workers’ compensation claim. The legal team at Hull & Zimmerman has extensive knowledge and experience with these matters.
Don’t try to work the legal system on your own. We’re ready to hear your story and get you the compensation you deserve.
If you or someone you know need help with a case, contact our North Denver workers’ comp attorneys today.
At Hull & Zimmerman, P.C., we are honored to help accident victims in their time of need, and take our responsibility as personal injury lawyers incredibly seriously. We know how important it is for victims to secure the full and fair compensation they need following a serious accident, and that is why we take a hands-on, personalized approach to every case we handle.
awarded to a woman who was a victim of a car crash. The woman was driving the highway when the other driver approaching from the opposite direction lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center line and hit her head on. She suffered multiple broken bones, including her hip, pelvis, leg, and right arm. She missed several years of work as a result of her injuries. Read More
awarded to a woman who was the victim of a t-bone car crash. The client suffered multiple injuries. The most significant of which was a head injury. While she was ultimately able to return to work on a part-time basis, Plaintiff was never able to return to work on a full-time basis. Read More
settlement awarded to a lady who suffered a head injury. She slipped and fell in a slanted parking lot at her place of employment. Evidence demonstrated that the owner of the building had constructed a fence shading the parking lot such that ice was allowed to continuously accumulate during the winter months. Multiple people had fallen on the ice prior to the client’s fall. As a result of her injuries, Plaintiff was forced to take early retirement. Read More
awarded to a man whose vehicle was hit from behind by a semi. The injured party suffered back pain and rotator cuff tears in each shoulder and was forced to retire from his job doing road repair four years earlier. Read More
settlement (policy limits) awarded to a young man who lost his eye when another child shot an arrow into the air. Read More
settlement obtained for a man who was injured in a rear end automobile accident. He suffered a herniated disc in his low back which was not well resolved by surgery forcing him to leave his employment as an apartment maintenance manager. Read More
awarded to a gentleman in association with a workman’s compensation case. He initially sustained a head injury at work when attacked by a patient. Several years later, his condition worsened resulting in his inability to return to work in his usual job. Read More
settlement achieved in a legal malpractice case. The client initially suffered a herniated disc in her neck in association with an automobile accident. The attorney failed to file the lawsuit in a timely manner and the Plaintiff was initially denied her ability to achieve any monies from the original lawsuit. Read More
settlement awarded to a man who was a victim of an automobile accident. Plaintiff was a passenger who was rear-ended by another driver. Following the accident, he suffered a long term back injury. Read More
settlement awarded to a lady who aggravated a pre-existing back condition when she slipped and fell at the entrance to a casino. Read More
awarded to a woman who suffered a rotator cuff tear from an automobile accident. Read More