When Does Workers’ Comp Stop Paying?

Any time that an employee is injured while on the job, that employee is entitled to receive funding through the workers’ compensation program. This system was designed to pay for the medical costs associated with the injury, including treatment and medication, as well as potentially lost wages due to the inability to work. A common question that arises when one is receiving workers’ compensation is in regards to when the benefits stop being paid out.

The simple answer is workers’ comp stops paying out when the injured individual has made a full recovery and this is documented by the physician overseeing treatment. This makes sense given that the purpose of the workers’ comp system is to completely cover medical expenses. Similarly, wage loss benefits cease to be paid out when the injured person returns to work. Under this circumstance however, if the person is still undergoing medical treatment when he or she returns to work, those benefits do not stop.

There are exceptions to these rules however. If the individual returns to work at a position of lower pay than before the injury, benefits will stop after 500 weeks, although this only applies in the event that disability benefits were chosen. If the injured person signs away their employer’s responsibility in the matter or the employer is ordered by the Court to do so benefits stop. Obviously, in the event of the person’s death, workers’ comp benefits stop, although survivors may be eligible for some compensation if the death was related to the work injury.

If you or someone you know has not been able to receive workers’ compensation benefits or has been denied them in a situation other than those stated above, there may be grounds for a lawsuit to see benefits justly dispensed. If this is necessary, we at the Franco Law Firm are here to help! To schedule a free consultation with us today, please call us at (813) 872-0929.