Can I File for Both Worker’s Comp and Short Term Disability?

If a person sustains an injury while in the workplace or on the job, he or she is eligible for financial compensation to help pay for medical expenses, regardless of the circumstances. However, if that injury disallows the person from returning to work, that person may also want to apply for short term disability to help mitigate the cost of lost wages. This can present a legal quandary however as to whether or not a person can file for both worker’s compensation and short term disability.

The answer to that question is that, yes, a person can apply for both worker’s compensation and short term disability so long as that individual qualifies for both. This is not necessarily an uncommon scenario, as there are numerous kinds of injuries, such as broken bones, that be debilitating enough to prevent a person from returning to work. This is particularly true if the job is of the physical nature to begin with.

The reason that you can file for both worker’s comp and short term disability is because they are run by different programs at different levels. Short term disability is a federal program, whereas worker’s compensation is run by the home state. They also don’t intrinsically conflict with each other and collecting both is beneficial to those who finds themselves in such a situation.

If you are having trouble collecting both, then you may be able to pursue legal action to acquire them. To learn about how the Franco Law Firm can assist you with this, and to schedule a free consultation today, please call us at (813) 872-0929.