LOUISIANA WORKERS COMPENSATION
Are you looking for help with your Louisiana Workers
Compensation case, including information about:
Then you're in the right place.
I'm a Louisiana Workers Compensation
lawyer. My practice is dedicated to helping people with
work-related injuries throughout Louisiana recover the benefits they should
receive from Louisiana Workers Compensation and Social
Security Disability.
- Do you want to make sure
you're being treated fairly by the insurance company?
- Do you want to maximize the
amount you receive from the settlement of your Louisiana
Workers Compensation claim?
- Are you worried about how your
Louisiana Workers Compensation claim is progressing?
- Do you believe you should
qualify for both Louisiana Workers Compensation and
Social Security Disability?
- Do you want to know how your
benefits or settlement might impact your right to get
Social Security, Medicare, health insurance or a new
job?
We work hard to make this website
the best source of information about Louisiana Workers
Compensation claims. But if you don't find the answers to
your questions or you need information that's specific to
your case, call me at (800) 851-9405 or send an email to
schedule a telephone discussion about your claim.
The telephone
consultation is free.
TEMPORARY TOTAL DISABILITY
If you’re
temporarily totally disabled and unable to do any type of
work, you should receive Louisiana Workers Compensation
weekly benefits of up to two-thirds of the wages that you
were earning when your disability began. Your benefits
should be based upon your full income, which sometimes even
includes taxable fringe benefits or wages from a second job.
You should
receive your first Louisiana Workers Compensation payment
within 14 days after you provide your employer with medical
documentation showing that you're unable to work and your
employer may owe you a penalty payment if your benefits are
not started on time. You should continue to receive weekly
benefits until you receive a valid medical release to return
to work, frequent medical treatment is no longer needed and
the extent of any long-term disability can be determined.
SUPPLEMENTAL EARNINGS BENEFITS
If you can
return to work, but your medical condition prevents you from
earning at least 90% of the income you were earning at the
time of your accident, you should receive Supplemental
Earnings Benefits (often called “SEB”). These monthly
benefits should equal two-thirds of the difference between
what you were earning at the time of your injury and what
you are currently able to earn.
PERMANENT PARTIAL DISABILITY
You may receive
Permanent Partial Disability benefits even if your injury
did not cause you to miss significant time off of work. A
Permanent Partial Disability rating allows you to receive
guaranteed minimum Louisiana Workers Compensation income
benefits for many specific injuries, including hearing or
vision loss, scarring, or damage to your extremities, such
as losing a finger or permanent numbness in your legs.
PERMANENT TOTAL DISABILITY
You should
receive Permanent Total Disability benefits if the Louisiana
Workers Compensation Court determines that you will be
unable to perform any type of work for the rest of your
life. To qualify, you must provide the Judge with very
convincing medical and vocational evidence.
CASH SETTLEMENT
You may be able
to settle your case and receive a single cash payment to
compensate you for your loss of earning capacity, future
medical expenses and permanent disability. We can help you
maximize your benefits, determine the full value of your
claim and negotiate the settlement of your Louisiana Workers
Compensation case.
MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR INJURED EMPLOYEES
Louisiana Workers Compensation insurance companies often
ignore or deny requests for medical treatment. In fact,
their refusal to authorize medical treatment is one of the
most common reasons people call us for help with their
claim. We can get a prompt response to your doctors orders
for tests, medication or surgery. If your treatment is
denied, we can ask the Louisiana Workers Compensation Court
to overrule the insurance company and order the treatment
your doctor requested. In addition to paying for
hospitalization and physician expenses, Louisiana Workers
Compensation should also cover the cost of prescription
medication, physical therapy, psychological counseling,
medical devices and travel expenses for medical treatment.
SELECTING YOUR TREATING PHYSICIAN
The
Louisiana
Workers Compensation Act allows you to select one treating
physician in each medical specialty and you’re not required
to pick your doctors from a list prepared by your employer
or their insurer. You also have the right to talk with a
lawyer before authorizing the release of your medical
records or undergoing any tests or surgery. Your Louisiana
Workers Compensation attorney should handle all contacts
with the insurance company, including all conversations with
the claims adjuster, medical case manager, vocational
rehabilitation expert and the insurance company’s lawyer.
WORKERS
COMPENSATION AND SOCIAL SECURITY
You can receive
Louisiana Workers Compensation and Social Security
Disability at the same time, up to a combined benefit of 80%
or more of the income you were earning before you became
disabled. For some people, their Social Security Disability
benefit payment is much higher than their Louisiana Workers
Compensation benefit rate. Social Security Disability also
includes annual “cost of living” increases and may pay
additional benefits for your spouse and children. While
Louisiana Workers Compensation benefits are often disputed
and are rarely paid at their full rate for more than few
years, people who qualify for Social Security Disability
often receive those benefits for the rest of their lives. If
you have a serious work-related injury or illness,
qualifying for and coordinating your Louisiana Workers
Compensation and Social Security Disability benefits can be
a very important step.
It’s especially
important to consult a Louisiana Workers Compensation lawyer
if you plan to settle your claim. The terms of your
Louisiana Workers Compensation settlement can have a huge
impact upon the amount of Social Security benefits you
receive and the degree to which Medicare will cover your
future medical expenses.
I represent
people throughout Louisiana in Workers Compensation and
Social Security claims and can provide you with the legal
help you need to qualify for the benefits you deserve.
Contact my office toll-free at (800) 851-9405 or by email
for a free consultation today.
Next: Determining Your Average Weekly Wage
|
|