Let’s face it; work is often a critical component in our lives. Many of us cannot get by without a job, causing some of us to get less desirable positions. In some cases, this means working in an environment or an industry that carries more risks and dangers. Regardless of the work place, when a worker is injured, this can present issues. If the injury is serious enough, the worker will require medical treatment and even time away from work to recover. And in severe matters, the injury could be so grave that it causes an employee to experience a temporary disability.
When a worker is too injured to perform his or her work duties, a worker is entitled to seek different types of financial support while he or she is unable to work. Depending on the situation, this could mean seeking workers’ compensation, state disability benefits or Social Security disability benefits. What are the differences between workers’ comp and disability benefits?
An employee that is injured while they are working can seek workers’ compensation. This is essentially an alternative to litigation. On the other hand, state disability benefits provide workers with weekly benefits when they are injured and cannot work. With these benefits, this does not require the injury to occur at work. If there is a dispute regarding whether or not an employee is entitled to workers’ comp, it is possible to seek state disability benefits during this time.
If a worker is considered disabled by a work injury and is expected to be disabled for at least a year, then that employee might be entitled to both workers’ comp and SSD benefits. However, if both of these benefits are receive, SSD benefits could be partially reduced based on the receipt of workers’ comp.
When a disabling injury occurs at the workplace, it is important that workers understand what options they have. This situation can be overwhelming, making it difficult to navigate the matter. Thus, it is imperative to consider legal assistance, as you may be entitled to more than one source of financial assistance following a disabling work injury.