Jobs vary in degree of how dangerous the work is, but some jobs can lead to injuries severe enough to enact workers’ compensation benefits. Some people are able to recover with these benefits, but those whose injuries lead to certain disabilities may have a harder time. This is why some people also seek Social Security Disability Benefits (SSD) in addition to workers’ compensation.

However, not everyone knows that seeking both types of benefits comes with other decisions that may limit how much you can receive. Talk to a Pennsylvania Disability Lawyer for further guidance.

Basics of Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation is designed solely for employees who suffered injuries at the workplace. Illnesses related to work are also covered under these benefits. Benefits mostly cover injury-related medical expenses and lost wages. Lost wages include income lost while the person is out of work for recovery.

The two main types of workers’ compensation benefits are temporary total disability benefits and permanent disability benefits. Permanent disability benefits are for people with long-term disabilities or medical conditions from work. Temporary disability benefits are only offered while people recover and will cease when they return to work. There are also survivor benefits for families who lost a loved one to a workplace accident.

To receive workers’ compensation, an employee will not need to prove that anyone was at fault because the law allows an employee to automatically receive benefits regardless of who was at fault, as long as the injury was experienced at the workplace.

Relationship Between Disability Benefits and Workers’ Compensation

The main difference between workers’ compensation and SSD Benefits is that workers’ compensation covers injuries, while SSD Benefits covers legitimate disabilities. Disabilities are defined by the Social Security Administration as mental or physical impairments that prevent people from performing certain tasks.

It is possible to receive both workers’ compensation and SSD Benefits if you have acquired a disability from your job or in addition to your work-related injury. However, your SSD Benefits may change based on how much you receive in workers’ compensation benefits. In general, what you earn from workers’ compensation and SSD Benefits cannot exceed 80% of your original income. This prevents people from receiving more compensation than they need.

Your SSD Benefits will return to their original value when your workers’ compensation ends. However, these rules are only enforced for public workers’ compensation while private programs are left unaffected.

The process of applying for these benefits tends to be smooth for some people, especially if you have all your medical and other relevant documents ready, but others may be wrongfully denied. This is when an experienced attorney can help you figure out what went wrong with your application to increase your chances of having your next application accepted.

Pennsylvania Disability Attorney

The SSD benefits application process alone can be overwhelming with all the information and documentation required, but you do not have to do this alone. An experienced Pennsylvania bad faith claims Lawyer may be able to help you take the steps necessary to have your application accepted. Call Edelstein & Nelson at (800) 300-0909 today for a consultation.