New Orleans Workers’ Compensation Indemnity Benefits Lawyer
In addition to obtaining medical care, injured workers face another problem: supporting themselves financially after a workplace accident or illness. Even minor injuries can prevent a person from returning to work full-time, and other workers are so badly injured they can’t return at all.
Fortunately, Louisiana’s workers’ compensation system provides a range of indemnity benefits, also known as wage loss benefits. Nevertheless, some workers face headwinds getting the benefits they deserve, and they need a lawyer’s assistance. A New Orleans workers’ compensation indemnity benefits lawyer at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe might be able to help you obtain the benefits you need.
Four Types of Indemnity Benefits
Indemnity benefits pay cash to an injured worker to subsidize some of their lost income. Louisiana workers might qualify for 1 of 4 different types of indemnity benefits:
- Supplemental earnings benefits (SEB): Someone who returns to work but makes less than before can qualify for supplement earnings benefits. These generally provide for 2/3 of the difference between what the worker makes now compared to what they made before. So a worker who makes $200 less might get around $132 in SEB.
- Permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits: Workers receive PPD benefits for a fixed number of weeks based on the body part injured and the severity of loss.
- Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits: A worker can receive these benefits if they can’t work any job but are expected to improve. A worker is entitled to 2/3 their average weekly wage before getting hurt.
- Permanent total disability (PTD) benefits: A worker is eligible for PTD benefits when they can’t work any job, not even self-employment, and are not expected to improve. PTD benefits are for 2/3 your average weekly wage.
The average weekly wage is usually what a worker earned in the 4 weeks before they were injured. Many indemnity benefits also have minimum and maximums which might come into play.
Qualifying for benefits depends on many factors, but a major one is your medical records. A doctor will determine your degree of disability. Often, insurers dispute this finding and might even call in a different doctor for a second opinion. Some workers struggle to get approved for benefits even though they are in too much pain to work.
Workers can only receive one type of indemnity benefit at a time. Consequently, they might transition from temporary total disability benefits to supplemental earnings benefits if their condition improves and allows them to return to a job. Alternatively, they might transition from TTD benefits to permanent total disability benefits if their condition worsens.
We Can Help You Obtain Indemnity Benefits
Many workers find the compensation system hard to navigate and confusing. We agree. Fortunately, you can hire a seasoned attorney to help you qualify for benefits. Even if an insurer has denied your request for indemnity benefits, you have the right to an appeal. Our legal team will assist you in any way we can.
Call our New Orleans indemnity benefits lawyer today to schedule a consultation. We don’t charge upfront legal fees, which makes hiring us an affordable and sensible choice.
