When a work accident happens, you may be left unable to carry out your job duties for a significant period of time because of the severity of your injuries. In some cases, that injury may inflict a permanently disabling condition. The pain and suffering of this kind of injury, not to mention the concern about the financial burden it may impose, can be overwhelming.
St. Louis permanent disability workers’ compensation claims can help you recover benefits equal to a portion of your lost wages if you are diagnosed with a permanent disability. Those payments could last for a prolonged period or the rest of your life, depending on the nature of your disability. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney at OnderLaw can evaluate your circumstances and advise whether you may qualify for these or other benefits.
When you are injured on the job, you could be entitled to multiple types of benefits through your employer’s workers’ compensation carrier. These benefits could include:
Disability benefits can be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of your injuries and how they impact your ability to work over the long-term.
Permanent disability benefits fall into two categories: permanent partial disability benefits and permanent total disability benefits. While you must have a lasting disability to qualify for either category of benefits, a permanent partial disability means that you are still able to work to a certain extent. On the other hand, a permanent total disability is a job-connected injury that keeps you from working at all, or at least in any meaningful capacity.
If you are entitled to permanent partial disability benefits or permanent total disability benefits, the value of your St. Louis workers’ compensation claim will be calculated according to what your average weekly wage was when you were injured. That benefit amount would be 66 2/3 percent of your average weekly earnings, assuming that does not exceed certain thresholds established by state law.
Benefit payments can be structured in numerous ways. For example, if you are entitled to permanent total disability benefits, you could receive weekly payments for the rest of your life, but you could also receive the money in a single payment that your workers’ compensation attorney can help you negotiate.
Multiple factors could impact the value of your permanent disability workers’ compensation claim. You will be expected to provide detailed forms of evidence to support a claim for permanent disability benefits. This will include information about your lost earning ability, the severity of your injuries, and the nature of your disability.
Your medical bills, lost wage records, and statements from your doctor are just several examples of evidence that could be used to demonstrate these elements. Other factors that could impact your claim for permanent disability benefits could include your educational history, age, and earning capacity before the injury.
Our qualified St. Louis workers’ comp lawyers can help you navigate the complexities of the permanent disability claims process while working to help you achieve the maximum possible benefit. Our proactive attorneys can gather expert witness statements from vocational and medical experts to support your claim for benefits. Our dedicated legal team could not only handle the documentation requirements associated with a claim for permanent disability benefits but also represent you in procedural matters, including administrative hearings.
An extensive body of proof is required to support St. Louis permanent disability workers’ compensation claims. The insurance carriers that handle these claims are focused on their bottom line, not your physical, emotional, or financial well-being.
This means that seeking the rightful benefits you are owed can be anything but a simple endeavor. If a single piece of information is missing from your claim, the insurance company may deny your request for benefits.
Our team of well-practiced lawyers at OnderLaw can manage the claims process on your behalf to help you secure the treatment you deserve. We can also handle additional requirements that may arise in your case, from filing an appeal to collecting key evidence and witness testimony. Contact our firm today to speak with a knowledgeable workers’ compensation attorney about your case.
