Types of Lost Time Claims

There are four broad categories of workers’ compensation claims. One of those claim types is for lost time. Lost time claims pay benefits to an employee and his or her family when the employee is unable to return to work immediately after an accident or injury at work because the injuries were too severe or prohibitive. In this type of claim, there are three subcategories under which a claim may fall.

Temporary total disability is the first of the subcategories. This type of claim is for individuals who are unable to return to work immediately or for some time because of the injury suffered. They will be able to return to work once the injury heals, but are unable to work at the present time. If an employee claims this type of disability, he or she can only collect on temporary total disability while they are recovering. An example of this type of injury would be a truck driver who severely broke his or her leg. Without working legs, the truck driver is unable to operate the pedals on the truck and so cannot work. Once the leg heals, he or she will be able to return to work but not until then.

Permanent total disability is the claim that exists for an employee who is injured to the point that he or she cannot return to work, ever, in any capacity. The injury that was sustained either crippled the employee or caused a loss of limbs that are essential to performing his or her job. This claim and injury usually gives the employee the full allotment of workers’ compensation benefits.

Partial disability is a hybrid of the other two types of claims under lost time. This type is for individuals whose injuries may allow him or her to return to work in a limited capacity or at a desk job. This limited capacity will, understandably, lower the salary available to the individual and so workers’ compensation generally makes up the difference between the current rate and former rate.

Contact a Charleston Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

If you have been injured while at work and are now unable to work at full capacity due to complications resulting from this injury, contact the Charleston workers’ compensation lawyers of the Steinberg Law Firm at 843-720-2800.