Every week, you can count on a paycheck for all of the hard work that you do. You need that income to pay your bills and support your family. Your job may be the source of your income, but it is also a major source of personal risk.
All it takes is a violent outburst from a patient in your ward or a machinery malfunction on the factory floor to put you in the hospital or leave you unable to work for weeks, if not months. The good news for those hurt on the job in Virginia or diagnosed with a medical condition caused by their employment is that workers’ compensation insurance protects them.
They can receive full coverage for their necessary medical treatment and also disability or indemnity benefits until they get back to work. Knowing how much you can count on receiving is important when you need to budget for your household expenses while unable to work. How much does Virginia pay for workers’ compensation claims?
Benefits depend on your income
How much you will receive from workers’ compensation depends on how much you earned before you got hurt. The state offers similar payments for disability benefits and death benefits for surviving family members that reflect someone’s pre-injury income.
Workers can count on receiving at least the minimum amount for compensation, which is currently $322.50 per week. Higher-earning workers will likely care more about the maximum compensation rate. Workers can receive a maximum benefit amount of $1,290 per week.
Given that the amount a worker receives will be, at most, two-thirds of their pay, those who make more than $1,935 per week will find their compensation to fall below that two-thirds standard.
What if that gap causes problems for your family?
If your income is high enough before your injury that the maximum benefit will leave you hundreds of dollars short for your bills every month, there may be other options for you.
Sometimes, work injuries involve liability for a third party other than your employer. You may be able to bring a claim against another person or business in addition to filing for workers’ compensation benefits.
Looking carefully at the circumstances of your injury can maximize what you receive for your Virginia workers’ compensation claim.
