How Work Injury Compensation In Maryland Is Determined
Work injuries happen all the time, every day. Unfortunately, not many people know what to do or even that they can be entitled to work injury compensation. Injured employees can receive benefits through the state workers’ compensation system. However, the amount of compensation you get, will strictly depend on your injuries, work environment and where you live. Every U.S. state has their own workers’ compensation impairment rating system. The system determines how much a worker gets back after an injury, so that’s the way a work injury compensation in Maryland works.
There are differences in the nature of the injury like if it’s temporary or permanent. There are also ratings on if the injury has caused loss of body part partially or total loss. We are going to break down all of these impairment ratings in this blog so you have an idea of how work injury compensation in Maryland could be determined.
Key Definitions For Work Injury Compensation in Maryland
How much money you get back from your employer’s insurance depends on how severe your work injuries are. There are four main factors that determine the severity. Here is how you’d classify them:
Permanent vs. Temporary
- Permanent: The injury is permanent
- Temporary: Injury is temporary
Partial Disability vs. Total Disability
- Partial: An area was injured but not disabled
- Total: The injured area is totally disabled
These may seem like simple definitions but it’s important to break down, since these could become complex because they are usually combined ratings. They can be combined by either choosing permanent or temporary and partial disability or total disability. An injury cannot be classified as both permanent and temporary. Same for partial or total. However, these impairment ratings can be mixed with each other, for example temporary with total or permanent with partial.
Rating Examples for Work Injury Compensation in Maryland
There are a few different mixes that a rating can be set at. For example, partial loss of hearing due to working conditions could be rated as permanent partial disability. That is because it’s a life-long injury but doesn’t completely take away the body part’s function. Another permanent rating combination would be permanent total. This could be based on a loss of a limb because it would be a total loss of body function and is a forever issue. Permanent total wouldn’t be the best rating to have but you would still get work injury compensation in Maryland. We will talk more about why later in the blog. When rating is based on temporary injuries, scenarios are differing.
Moreover, temporary partial disability could be applied to a sprained ligament in the hand. The area will heal and it doesn’t at the moment of the injury take the full function of your hand away. Temporary total disability compared to partial is a little more serious. Temporary total could be classified as a broken foot. This is because for a temporary moment the foot is completely unusable but will eventually heal. All of these ratings are used to determine work injury compensation in Maryland only, which means that they are not used for other personal injury cases. The impairment ratings are also rectified uniquely in every U.S. state.
Work Injury Compensation in Maryland
Rating is a factor on how much money a worker will get back. On a ranking scale, how much you get back really depends on your physical state and the state you live in. Typically, when you think about temporary partial disability, you could imagine getting the least amount of compensation. Compared to permanent total disability. Maybe a first thought is you’d get the most money back if your injury falls under permanent total, even though your injury is super serious. However, that is not always the case. Every state has their own funding limits. Maryland for example follows the following limits.
In Maryland, if your injury is classified under permanent total, chances are you’ll be getting “less” than what you’d expect. There are caps to how much work injury compensation to get back. In this case, you may hit the limit quicker in comparison to a permanent partial disability injury. Everything depends and we’d hope no one ever has to deal with a permanent total disability injury anyway, since this is the most serious kind of injury. Workers’ compensation is always changing not only for Maryland but everywhere. Knowing the possible rating scenarios is one piece but who really determines how rating is handled.
How To Determine Severity ‘Score’ For Work Injury Compensation in Maryland?
Once an injured worker files for worker’s compensation, they should be taken care of by their employer’s insurance company. Usually what happens is a doctor will be assigned to the worker. Throughout their time of care, the doctor will give a ‘score’ or percentage as to how bad the injury is. This percentage will play a role into what impairment placement the employee will be in leading to how much they get. The higher the rating the more severe the injuries and also possibly the more compensation. Remember that there are limits to compensation. Also these doctors are working for your employer, not you. On the other hand, if a lawyer was hired, this score wouldn’t be the final decision.
Hiring a lawyer should only benefit an injured worker. This is because an attorney will assign you their trusted doctor as well and in the end will more fairly rate your injuries having your best interest in mind. These doctors will be working for you. They will give you another ‘score’ on what they think your injury severities are worth. Both doctors will have a percentage for you. So, by visiting your lawyers’ assigned doctor, you will be able to recover the maximum work injury compensation in Maryland.
The percentages will then be debated between your employer and your lawyer. Most of the time, both meet in the middle. An attorney fights for a fair percentage, as the employer will defend a lower percentage. All in all, it’s always helpful to have the aid of a workers’ compensation lawyer to help you with your work injury compensation in Maryland.
How a Work Injury Compensation Attorney Helps
Understanding the law and the severity of an injury will benefit anyone’s work injury compensation. A workers’ compensation attorney supports you, not your employer. This way you have a say for your injury. Lawyers also typically have a trusted set of doctors who will value your case rather than unfairly judge your situation. A case is possible without an attorney however, judgement may be impaired as you are recovering while fighting for compensation without legal help. Even if you just have a question for a lawyer, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Our team is always ready. If you or you know anyone with work injury compensation questions, ask us. We only want the best for you: (202) 933-1918.