There are multiple systems in place to protect those who have experienced a career-ending work injury.
A question that is often asked is what happens when a work injury ends your career? Fortunately, the results of such damages aren’t as dire as you might think. The reason is that there are multiple systems in place to protect people who go through tragedies like this, the most important of them being workers’ compensation.
You Will Get All of the Medical Treatment You Need
The first way the system looks out for you is by giving you the medical treatment you need. In Missouri, that means seeing a company doctor. When you do, that professional will diagnose you and give you a treatment plan. You will eventually get to a point called maximum medical improvement, which describes a level of health that cannot rise any higher.
You Should Have All of it Paid For
If you’re worried about medical bills, we don’t blame you. Healthcare is as expensive as it has ever been, and a trip to the doctor can cost you quite a bit. Fortunately, you should get all of your medical services paid for. That can include doctor visits, physical therapy, surgery, medication, and more.
Permanent Disability Benefits
One aspect of workers’ compensation that you might qualify for is permanent disability. What this benefit does is give employees payments for impairments that they cannot remedy. It comes in two variants.
- Total – This designation means that you cannot work at all. An injury that would fit into this category is paralysis from the neck down. A person who sustains that kind of damage will not be able to work again and will receive maximum benefits.
- Partial – This variant is for workers that can work, but are limited. It is designed to fill in the gaps for people who do not leave the workforce despite their limitations.
Social Security Disability
Social security differs from workers’ compensation is two crucial ways. First, your injury can come as a result of any accident, not just one at work. Second, it is generally more difficult to obtain benefits from social security, especially if you’re only partially disabled. As a result, workers’ compensation is generally the more friendly system for injured employees. If your damages come outside of the workplace, social security disability is an excellent second option. One more thing to note is that you can generally collect both at once, though your benefits cannot exceed 80% of your former income.
Speak with an attorney 24/7
While a career-ending injury will undoubtedly have a massive impact on your day to day experience, you shouldn’t feel as if your life is over. The reason is that there are two legal frameworks in place to help people like you. The first is workers’ compensation. The second is social security disability, which you can utilize in some situations. No matter what, if you are injured on the job, it is a good idea to speak with an experienced work injury attorney for free legal advice. Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 361-4300.