Social Security Disability Insurance And Louisiana Workers’ Compensation: Can I Collect Both After My Work-Related Injury?
It’s no secret that everyday across the country millions of American workers are at risk of being injured on the job. It’s also clear that a work-related injury can disrupt a person’s life immensely, and affect their ability to survive. Indeed, a work-related injury can bring life to a halt, because an injured worker is faced with not only the underlying injury that must be treated and that they must recover from, but during that recovery, their ability to earn a livelihood is severely impacted. When a work-related injury occurs, paying for everyday expenses like rent, food and water, gas, and electricity may seem like an insurmountable problem. Fortunately, there are state and federal programs for workers who have been injured on the job and cannot earn a livelihood. In Louisiana, two of the most important programs that injured workers may be eligible for after a workplace injury are Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and workers’ compensation. Although there is some harmony between the programs when it comes to applying and receiving benefits, there are also significant differences. In addition, receiving benefits from one program may affect an injured worker’s ability to fully collect from the other program. Accordingly, the interplay between SSDI and the Louisiana workers’ compensation programs is an important topic for injured workers in Louisiana.
SSDI and Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Benefits
SSDI and Louisiana workers’ compensation are two distinct and separate programs. SSDI is a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for long term disability – that is, benefits are not payable to those individuals who claim a partial disability or a short-term disability. In contrast to that, the Louisiana workers’ compensation program is a state program administered by the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Commission, and injured workers can apply for benefits for both temporary and partial disabilities, as well as permanent disabilities.
Injured Louisiana workers are able to apply for both SSDI and Louisiana workers’ compensation benefits, and may be granted benefits under both programs. However, receiving benefits from one program may affect an injured worker’s ability to receive full benefits from the other program. For example, a lump-sum workers’ compensation settlement payment may reduce an injured worker’s SSDI benefits. Accordingly, if an injured worker is interested in applying for both SSDI and Louisiana workers’ compensation for a work-related injury, it is important for them to speak with an experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer to understand their entitlement to benefits under each program in their particular case.
Questions about SSDI and Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
In sum, there are many different rules and regulations that govern the two separate programs, SSDI and Louisiana workers’ compensation. Due to the complexity of these programs and the interplay between them, it is best for an injured Louisiana worker to speak to an experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer about their case, in order to get the best result possible when seeking out disability benefits for a work-related injury. The skilled and experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at the law offices of Lunsford Baskin & Priebe help injured workers in Louisiana get disability benefits due. Contact the law offices of Lunsford Baskin & Priebe today and speak to a lawyer about your disability benefits eligibility and options.
