Meridian Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

What workplace benefits can I receive in Meridian?

Our Meridian workers’ compensation lawyers work to obtain all your benefits. This work includes obtaining proper medical reports verifying and explaining your injuries and all your medical bills. The work also includes confirming your average weekly wages prior to the workplace accident or onset of your occupational illness.

Medical benefits

We demand payment of all your medical bills. These include emergency care, surgeries, hospital stays, physical therapy and other types of rehabilitation, medications, assistive devices such as wheelchairs and crutches, and any other reasonably necessary medical bills.

Employees have the right to select their own physician or medical provider. The healthcare provider you select can “make one referral of the worker to another specialist to continue treatment without any approval from the employer or its insurance carrier.” You need approval from your employer (or their insurance carrier) for additional referrals. You may also be entitled to a mileage reimbursement for medical visits.

Temporary disability benefits

While you are receiving medical care to maximize your health, you are generally entitled to 2/3 of your average weekly wages before your injury/illness up to state maximums – and with specific time limits. A temporary disability is typically payable up to 450 weeks or until you return to work – whichever occurs first.

Permanent disability benefits

Once your injury reaches the point of maximum medical improvement (the point when no additional medical care will improve it), an evaluation is made to determine if you have a permanent disability. Permanent disability includes the “loss of both hands, or both arms, or both feet, or both legs, or both eyes, or of any two.” Generally, a permanent disability is payable up to 450 weeks.

You may also have a permanent disability if you have medical conditions that prevent you from doing your job. We can explain if you qualify.

Permanent partial disability benefits.

Employees in Meridian may qualify for permanent partial disability benefits depending on the type of disability for the time periods set forth in the statute. We can explain if your injury qualifies.

For example, the following injuries receive 2/3 of your wages (up to the maximum amount) for the following number of weeks.

• 200 weeks.
• 175 weeks.
• 150 weeks.
• 125 weeks.
• 100 weeks.
• 60 weeks.
• First finger. 35 weeks.

Death benefits

When a workplace accident or illness is fatal, the spouse and certain surviving dependents can claim weekly benefits (we can explain how much once we have information about your case) for up to 450 weeks after the decedent's death. These benefits equal a certain percentage of the deceased worker's average weekly wages and are subject to a weekly maximum amount set by statute. The employer/carrier should also pay up to $5,000.00 in funeral expenses and an immediate lump sum payment of $1,000.00 for the surviving spouse.