When an accident happens at work, it can cause serious injuries. These injuries have the potential to impact a person for a long time or even the rest of their lives. Sometimes, injured parties are unable to return to work because of the accident. When this happens, employees often worry about how they will be able to make ends meet or provide for their family. During this time, it is important to know that workers’ compensation is available to them. This the injured employee with benefits that assist them during their time of need. The state of New Hampshire offers a variety of different benefits to help injured workers, including the following:
Weekly Indemnity Benefits
This exists to compensate an employee for the income they lose as a result of not being able to return to work while they are injured. The employee’s average weekly wage is determined by totaling their gross earnings during the 26 weeks preceding the day the injury occurred and dividing it by that number of weeks.
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits
This is paid to an injured employee if they are able to return to work but are unable to earn the same amount they were earning before their disability. In these situations, employee or employer submits pay stubs to an adjuster. This ensures the temporary partial benefit of 60% of the difference between prior injury earnings and post-injury earnings can be determined.
Payment of Medical Bills
The carrier is required to pay the cost of the injured party’s medical, hospital, and remedial bills that are related to the work injury. If the carrier fails to make or deny payment within 30 days of the date of the receipt of the invoice or statement, it can result in a fine up to $2500.
Permanent Impairment Awards
This is an award for the percentage of permanent loss of use to a “compensable” body part. A compensable body part can be the total loss of a:
- Hand
- Thumb
- Index, middle, ring, or little finger
- Leg
- Food
- Toe
- Vision in one or both eyes
- Hearing in one ear
- Binaural hearing
Temporary Alternative Duty
All employers with 5 or more employees are required to have temporary alternative work opportunities for injured employees.
Reinstatement of Employee Sustaining Compensable Injuries
An injured employee of an employer who has 5 or more employees, must be reinstated by their employer to their former position within 18 months. An employer is not required to do so if the employee is a contractor or temporary employee.
Cost of Living Adjustment
The injured employee can receive an adjustment in their weekly compensation rate in the event of the following:
- They are receiving total disability benefits as of the third anniversary of their injury
- Have been denied Social Security benefits
- Are receiving less than 60% of the current state average weekly wage
Vocational Rehabilitation
This provides services that restore the employee to full or as close as possible to their earning capacity prior to the accident as measured by their average weekly wage. This is provided by private rehabilitation companies.
Death Benefits
This is weekly compensation that is paid to the surviving dependents of an employee that is deceased as a result of their work-related injury.
Contact
If you have become the victim of an on the job injury, it may be beneficial to speak with an attorney and the doctor that is treating you to determine how to make the process as easy as possible. AllianceMeds understands that a workplace accident can be challenging and is here to help. We will deliver your medication to your door using overnight delivery and cover any out of pocket expenses that may arise. If you have any questions about how we can help, contact AllianceMeds today.