What Conditions Make An Employee Eligible For Lifetime Workers Compensation?
When a person becomes injured while working at his place of employment, he is entitled to workers compensation payments. This means he will be compensated for a percentage of his regular wages and medical costs that are incurred due to the injury. The length of time that workers compensation payments can be received depends on the severity of the injury and if the employee is permanently disabled because of it. In some situations, the employee may be eligible for lifetime workers compensation payments.
Permanent Loss of Use of Certain Body Parts
If an employee suffers from permanent loss of eyesight in both eyes in a work injury, he is eligible to receive lifetime workers compensation benefits. If an employee loses both hands, both feet or one hand and one foot in an injury in the workplace, they are also eligible for lifetime workers compensation.
Even if the employee does not lose the hands or feet, he can still draw lifetime workers compensation if he suffers from a total, permanent loss of use of both hands, both feet or one hand and one foot.
Permanent Spine or Brain Damage
Permanent damage to the spine is also considered a lifetime disability. If an employee has a spinal injury while working that is so severe that he suffers paralysis, he is eligible for lifetime workers compensation. This injury must include total paralysis of both legs, both arms or one arm and one leg.
Permanent brain damage due to a work injury is also eligible for lifetime workers compensation. The brain injury must be so traumatic that the employee now suffers from incurable brain damage that results in an extreme decline in his mental ability.
Permanent Third Degree Burns
Third degree burns normally result in severe permanent injuries. If an employee suffers third degree burns over a large percentage of his body in a work injury, this makes him eligible for lifetime workers compensation payments.
If the injury results in third degree burns over the majority of both hands or one hand and the face, the employee will also receive workers compensation benefits for the rest of his life.
Workers compensation payments for wages are usually paid on the same pay schedule as the person received when he was earning his regular paycheck. For instance, weekly pay would result in weekly compensation payments and monthly pay would result in monthly compensation payments. If the employee will require ongoing medical care due to the injury, this expense is also paid by workers compensation. Consult a workers compensation lawyer for more information.
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