If you suffer a work-related injury – now or in the future – and you’re temporarily unable to work, your injuries are going to be financial as well as physical. For almost anyone, a sudden and unexpected income loss can be devastating. Workers’ disability can provide critical financial relief, but if for any reason you don’t receive your workers’ compensation benefits, get help right away from an experienced California workers’ compensation attorney.
Under California workers’ comp regulations, temporary disability is classified as partial or total. If your job-related injury is so severe that you are unable to work at all for a temporary period, you are “temporarily totally disabled.” But if your on-the-job injury limits you to working fewer hours or at a lower-paying position, you are considered “temporarily partially disabled.”
Like permanent disability, the amount you receive in temporary disability benefits depends on your average weekly earnings. If you are temporarily totally disabled, your benefits are two-thirds of your average weekly earnings. If you are temporarily partially disabled, benefits will equal two-thirds of your weekly loss in wages, or two-thirds of the difference between your current reduced earnings and the amount that you do or could earn when healthy.
Temporary disability benefits end when your doctor determines that you are able to work or when you return to work on your own. If your physician finds that your injury has become permanent and stationary, you’ll need help from a good workers’ compensation lawyer to help you receive permanent disability benefits.
In California, applying for workers’ compensation is complicated; it’s easy to make mistakes, and insurers frequently deny workers’ comp claims. If you’ve been injured at work, if you’re injured in the future, or if you’re currently applying for benefits, protect yourself, your health, and your future. Speak to an experienced California workers’ compensation attorney who will help you receive every cent you deserve as quickly as possible.