Because workers’ compensation benefits are so critical, many people are anxious about when their benefits will end. A common question we receive is “How long can you be on workers’ comp?” and the answer depends on the severity of your injury and when you were hurt. Contact Griffin Law Firm, P.C., to discuss your case with a seasoned Snellville workers’ compensation lawyer. Our firm not only fights to get benefits for injured workers, but we can defend your right to benefits when an insurance company or doctor tries to force you back to work. Reach out to learn more about how we help.
How Long Can You Be on Workers’ Comp and Receive Medical Benefits?
The maximum amount of time to receive medical benefits depends on when your accident happened. You could receive medical care indefinitely if it happened before July 1, 2013. Of course, the care you receive must be reasonable and necessary to treat your injuries, but a worker might continue to receive medical care for the remainder of their life.
However, if your accident happened on July 1, 2013, or after, then you can receive a maximum of 400 weeks of medical treatment. That is about eight full years.
Some injured workers will suffer from a catastrophic injury, such as paralysis or a severe brain injury. In those situations, an injured worker might be able to receive medical benefits for life, regardless of when they were injured.
However, injured workers should prepare for the insurance company to challenge a finding of catastrophic disability. Workman’s comp insurers are eager to save money, and cutting off medical care is one way.
How Long Can You Stay on Workers’ Compensation and Receive Disability Benefits?
Many injured workers also receive disability benefits because their injuries keep them out of work. These benefits are not overly generous: only about two-thirds of what a worker made before the accident.
But disability benefits are often critical for helping a worker’s family survive without income. Many workers rely on these benefits to cover rent, mortgage, and other expenses.
If your accident happened before July 1, 1992, then you can receive benefits indefinitely. However, if you were injured on July 1, 1992, or later, you can receive benefits for a maximum of 400 weeks. As with medical benefits, that is about 8 years.
Of course, workers who receive treatment often see their condition improve, and they might be able to return to work with restrictions. For example, an employer might reduce the number of hours you work or relieve you of certain difficult tasks, like lifting heavy objects.
If your doctor releases you back to work with restrictions, your benefits might be reduced if you refuse to return. Workers’ comp in Georgia might even suspend your benefits if you refuse.
Regardless of when you were injured, someone with a catastrophic injury might receive disability benefits for life. That is the same rule that applies to medical bills.
Permanent Partial Disability
For some injuries, the law spells out the maximum amount of time a person receives benefits. For example, a worker might lose a limb or the ability to move their arm. This is a type of permanent, partial disability.
Georgia has schedules that list the number of weeks a worker will receive benefits based on the body part. For example, workers can receive benefits for the following number of weeks:
- Thumb: 60 weeks
- Hand: 160 weeks
- Arm: 225 weeks
- Leg: 225 weeks
- Loss of hearing in both ears: 150 weeks
Workers’ Compensation is Cutting Off My Benefits, What Now?
Few workers are eligible to receive the maximum amount of workers’ compensation. Instead, they might be pushed to return to light-duty work because a doctor believes their condition has improved. This is a scary experience. If you are in pain or limited, then going to work could lead to even more injuries.
You should reach out to a workers’ comp attorney if any of the following has happened:
- Has your doctor claimed your condition has improved so you can return to work with restrictions?
- Is your employer offering to modify the job so you can return to work, even if only part-time?
- Is the insurance company pushing for an independent medical evaluation with a different doctor?
- Has an independent doctor given the green light for you to return to work?
These are all signs your benefits could soon end. Injured workers should not have to return to light duty if they are still disabled.
Call our office. We can review your medical records and see if you are unfairly being pushed back to work. Someone with continuing disabilities might not even be able to work a light-duty job. Workers should have an experienced advocate amplify their voice in this process so they are respected.
You Should Receive All the Benefits You Deserve
Workers’ compensation in Georgia is designed to help injured men and women weather the financial aftershocks from an on-the-job injury. Medical care will help a worker heal, and disability benefits can replace income.
Unfortunately, insurers and some employers put pressure on workers to return to work. These entities are always looking for ways to cut benefits.
Get the Help of a Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
If you were hurt on the job, you deserve medical care and wage loss benefits. Unfortunately, getting approved for benefits is not the end of the workers’ comp journey for many people. Instead, simply hanging onto benefits becomes a fight.
Contact us to speak with a member of our team if you have a question about how long you can receive workers’ compensation. Griffin Law Firm, P.C. have years of experience in all phases of a workers’ comp claim, including preserving benefits when a worker is forced into light-duty work too soon. We can also see if you qualify as suffering from a catastrophic injury. Our consultations are free and without any obligation.