What is covered by North Carolina workers’ compensation?

North Carolina workers may be aware that they can file for workers’ compensation, if they get hurt on the job, and they may receive workers’ compensation benefits in lieu of their injury. However, they may not be fully aware of what is covered by these benefits.

First of all, the injured worker has the right to all necessary care to cure or treat the effects of the injury. This includes medical bills, prescriptions and may even include mileage bills to the hospital. In addition, according to FindLaw, if an injured worker has to take time off from work because they are temporarily disabled, they may be entitled to temporary disability benefits. Once a doctor confirms the temporary disability and inability to work, the hurt worker may be able to receive a portion of their wages. There is a limit to these payments, but for injured workers who are the breadwinners and temporarily unable to work, something may be better than nothing.

Where an injured worker is permanently disabled due to the injury sustained during the course of their work, they could be entitled to a monetary award for the disability. A permanent disability means that the worker has lost some or all ability to compete in the job market. Permanent disability payments are calculated based on the limitation the injury places on the injured worker, age, occupation and wages at the time the injury took place.

Once a worker returns to work after their injury and if their earnings are equal or more than what they were receiving previously, it is probable that they will stop receiving workers’ compensation benefits.

Even though it is not possible to quantify the pain and suffering an injured party goes through when they sustain a work-related injury, filing a workers’ compensation claim with the employer may be one way injured North Carolina workers can ease their financial concerns and concentrate on their recuperation.

Source: FindLaw.com, “Workers’ Comp Benefits and Returning to Work,” accessed on August 25, 2014