If you suffer an injury at the workplace, you can collect workers’ compensation and disability at the same time. This means you can file for workers’ compensation while also requesting Social Security benefits. That said, you will not automatically receive both settlements. Instead, representatives at the Social Security office can address your condition in light of your workplace accident and determine whether or not your impairment is severe enough to constitute a permanent or temporary disability.
If it turns out that your impairment may last for a year or more or is severe enough to extremely change your day-to-day life, then you may find your appeal for Social Security disability pay more readily approved.
What Workers’ Compensation Is
When you fall victim to an injury at work, you can notify your employer of the injury, and they can then inform the insurance provider that offers workers’ compensation to the company employees. In doing so, you can secure time off to recover from your injury as well as compensation for the wages you would have earned had you been able to work.
When faced with a workplace injury, you can receive compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses related to the injury and any medical care you need to recover from it
- The wages you would have received had you been able to return to work as normal
- The cost of additional medical procedures or treatments related to your injury
- The cost of funeral expenses, if necessary
Workers’ compensation only attends to the economic damages related to a workplace injury. The National Safety Council (NSC) notes that workers’ compensation claims often provide the filing party with over $40,000 in wage and expense coverage.
What Disability Pay Is
Should an accident in the workplace result in either a temporary or a permanent injury, you have the opportunity to file for disability pay at the same time as workers’ compensation. Disability pay comes from Social Security and is based on your potential income. On average, the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disabled workers with a lump sum of $1,234 per month.
Should your disability be temporary, you may lose your disability benefits upon your recovery. However, these benefits do not expire under the same circumstances as workers’ compensation, which is one of many differences between the two systems.
Your employer will not help you apply for disability. Instead, you can visit SSA’s website and fill out an application there. It is worth noting that, depending on the length of time it takes for Social Security to process your application for disability pay, you may receive back pay for the losses you endured without this manner of coverage.
How Workers’ Compensation and Disability Differ from One Another
While you can file for workers’ compensation and disability pay at the same time, their overlap is limited. Workers’ compensation settlements consist of pay meant to help a person recover from a workplace accident. This can include the cost of a person’s medical bills, medical aids, and any wages that person lost while recovering. Comparatively, disability payments are meant to ease a person’s way of life while they cope with a long-term and life-changing condition.
To further elaborate on the differences between these two programs, you can look at their standing. Social Security disability payments, ranging from SSD to SSI, come from the federal government, meaning that the process of applying for them may take longer than you expect. Comparatively, legislation regarding workers’ compensation varies from state to state. You can speak with a workers’ compensation lawyer to determine what legislation you must work within while recovering from an accident.
Let a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer from Ben Crump Law, PLLC Outline Your Rights
If you believe that the party liable for your losses may not be providing you with adequate compensation, you can look over the offer with a workers’ compensation lawyer. Together, you can determine if there are unaddressed avenues for compensation available to you, whether they be through workers’ compensation or disability pay.
The team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC recognizes how an injury in the workplace can upend your entire life. We can help you fight for workers’ compensation and disability pay. Our firm works on a contingency basis, meaning we don’t take payment unless you win compensation, and we don’t shy away from tough cases. To discuss an offered settlement or otherwise start crafting a complaint, you can reach out to the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC by calling (800) 603-4224.
