Injuries Eligible for Denver Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Colorado law requires all employers to obtain a workers’ compensation benefit policy. This policy provides benefits to workers who suffer injuries while on the job. However, injured employees may want to know what kind of benefits are given after an injury and how the type of injury influences the benefits they receive. A skilled workers’ compensation attorney will be dedicated to helping those injured at work to understand their injuries eligible for Denver workers’ compensation benefits. They can help individuals can realize which benefits they deserve and how to recognize when they are being taken advantage of.

Benefits for Temporary Injuries

Most injuries that happen at work are temporary. This means that although someone cannot work for a set period of time, with treatment, they can eventually return to their jobs at full health. These individuals are entitled to receive temporary total disability benefits. These benefits are equal to two-thirds of the worker’s average earnings every week. It is important to note that a worker must miss at least three days or shifts of work because of the injury to receive any benefits. These benefits last for as long as someone is unable to return to work at full capacity.

If an employee can return to work at reduced hours or duties, they receive temporary partial disability payments. These payments are two-thirds the difference between their usual weekly wages and their current payments. For example, if a worker normally makes $600 a week but their wages are reduced to $300 a week due to the injury, the difference is $300. Benefits are therefore issued at 2/3 of the $300 difference, or $200. This makes their total income $500.

How are Permanent Injuries Compensated in Denver?

An employee can also receive compensation for an injury that permanently leaves a worker less able to work than before the injury. If the disability is total, meaning they will never work again, they receive the two-thirds average weekly wage for the rest of their lives. More complicated cases involve partial losses of one’s work ability. This can include injuries such as loss of function in one’s:

• Hands
• Feet
• Toes
• Arms
• Vision
• Hearing

These injuries are eligible for Denver workers’ compensation benefits as defined by law, and the compensation a worker recieves for them cannot exceed their pre-existing caps. Other injuries are harder to evaluate. When someone suffers injuries to their spine, brain, lungs, or heart, the treating doctor determines the employee’s level of disability. This disability percentage is then used to calculate their available compensation for injuries.

A Denver Attorney Can Explain Eligible Injuries for Workers’ Compensation Benefits

As in all legal cases, it is important to understand your rights. People injured on the job should know what benefits are available to them. Only by possessing this knowledge can a worker know if they are receiving the compensation they deserve. Any discrepancies between what a worker receives after an injury and what they feel they deserve is grounds to file an appeal.

An experienced injury attorney could work with you to understand your offered benefit packages and to file appeals when appropriate. If you wish to learn more about injuries eligible for Denver workers’ compensation benefits, reach out to a skilled attorney today for your consultation.