All employers in Virginia are required to have workers’ compensation insurance for all employees. In return, employees cannot directly sue their respective employers for a workplace accident. Unfortunately, many workers don’t understand the workers’ compensation system accurately or their rights following an accident. If you are in such a situation, talking to a Virginia Beach workers’ compensation attorney can help. In this post, we are explaining the basic aspects of the benefits along with an overview of how an attorney can help.
Benefits at a glance
- Lost wages/temporary/total disability benefits. Injured workers who have been advised by their attending physician not to work for a given period can claim lost wage benefits. One can get two-thirds of the average weekly wages for a given period but not for more than 500 weeks.
- Medical expenses. This includes all costs related to the current care and future treatment of the injured worker, including the cost of surgery, physical therapy, and so on. However, the cost is only covered for injuries that are related to the concerned workplace accident.
- Permanent partial disability benefits. These benefits are available to workers who have lost a part or body function after a workplace accident.
- Vocational rehabilitation. If your doctor has recommended “light duty” in their work note, you can get Vocational rehabilitation benefits.
- Death benefits. Following the death of a worker at work, death benefits are available for the family, which includes funeral expenses. The immediate family can also get 500 weeks of two-thirds of the weekly wages of the deceased.
- Benefits for total incapacitation. If you become completely incapacitated following an accident, you may be entitled to additional benefits.
Hiring an attorney
Selecting a reliable workers’ compensation attorney for your case can be useful in many ways. Firstly, they can evaluate if your injury qualifies for the above benefits and can offer a fair overview of what to expect from your claim. You can also expect your attorney to deal with the insurance company, and if your claim has been denied already, your lawyer will work on the case before you appear before the Commission. There is no reason why you shouldn’t hire an attorney, given that lawyers work on a contingency fee and only get paid when you win.
Check online immediately and meet an attorney to understand your workers’ compensation benefits. Don’t shy away from asking relevant questions, and make sure that you understand your case in detail.
