Workers injured can often be paid certain benefits thanks to their employer's workers' compensation plans. One much-needed benefits is income. When a worker is unable to attend to their job, workers' comp can pay that worker to stay home for a certain time. Read on to learn more about disability wages and what to do when things hit a snag.
Income vs. Disability Pay
Hurt workers should understand that disability wages are not really income and are more like insurance payments. All funds received from workers' compensation are tax-free. No taxes or other deductions are taken from the wages, which are usually paid weekly but can be paid in a lump-sum manner as well. Unfortunately, another glaring difference in your usual income and disability wages is the amount. You won't be receiving the same amount of money as you were when you were working.
When Things Go Wrong
You might think that once your claim is approved and you begin getting paid your disability wages that all will be well. Unfortunately, some workers experience problems with disability wages. To be clear, disability wages do not come from the government. Workers' compensation is a private entity, and they are in business to make a profit. They do so by the insurance premiums your employer pays. When workers file claims, they lose money. If the injury is bad enough, they might even end up having to pay out large lump-sum payments to you. What all this means to you and your disability wages is that you might encounter the following common snags with them:
- Wages are promised but never arrive.
- Wages come on-time for a while but then you begin to experience delays.
- Wages come to a sudden halt.
The above problems can be simple mistakes, or they might mean the workers' compensation carrier is not doing their job.
Seeking Legal Help
You might be hesitant to speak to a lawyer about your wages, but you often must. Often, all that stands between you and financial disaster is that disability payment, and you deserve to be paid what you are owed. A workers' comp lawyer can help get snafus straightened out and your claim back on track. If you have issues with missing or delayed payments, some states penalize workers' comp carriers and interest might be owed to you.
Speak to an injury attorney for more information about this and other related topics.
