How You Get Workers’ Comp Benefits in Oregon
Most employers in Oregon are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance.
Workers’ comp is a balance between the needs of employees and employers. It lets injured workers get assistance fast without having to file a lawsuit. And it lets employers avoid getting sued when someone gets hurt at work.
Fault isn’t a factor in workers’ comp. It doesn’t matter if you made a mistake leading to your injury or if your employer did something wrong.
Qualifying for workers’ comp is simple:
- You’re an employee.
- You were injured at work.
- You developed an illness due to conditions at work.
To start your workers’ comp claim, tell your employer about your work injury as soon as you can. Your employer is supposed to report your injury and begin your workers’ comp.
But sometimes, employers resist filing your claim. Or the workers’ comp insurance company disputes that your injury happened at work.
They might say a preexisting condition caused your problem. They might drag their feet on granting you benefits.
If you have a workers’ comp attorney on your side, you can stop the workers’ comp system from shortchanging you.
If your job injury means you will be off work for an extended time, you could also qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. And the lawyers at Wells, Manning, Eitenmiller & Taylor can help you apply for that, too.
It costs you nothing to have an initial conversation with our attorneys and learn how you can maximize the financial support available to you.
What You Get with Workers’ Comp Benefits in Oregon
The financial support that comes with workers’ comp can make a huge difference for you after the financial blow of getting hurt at work.
The benefits include the following:
- Medical care related to your injury
- Prescriptions you need for your recovery
- Transportation costs for getting to medical appointments
- Time loss pay when you can’t work
- Vocational assistance to retrain and return to the workforce
The health care you get because of your on-the-job injury should continue under workers’ comp until you’ve recovered or until doctors decide you cannot recover any further.
Your pay for lost wages falls between 60 and 75 percent of your income before your injury, depending on factors such as your marital status and whether you have dependent children. The checks come weekly.
If you can return to work but can’t earn as much as you did before you were hurt, you also could receive financial assistance for “loss of earning power” under workers’ comp.
The trouble with workers’ comp is that employers and insurance companies sometimes fail to provide the full benefits you’re entitled to receive. And when it’s time to finish your claim, you’ll have to negotiate to get the best settlement.
That’s where a workers’ comp lawyer can help. And you pay no attorney fee to start working with a lawyer.
When you were hurt at work, there’s no reason you shouldn’t get all of the financial assistance available to get your life back to normal.
We’re with You Every Step of the Way
Whether you need to file a workers’ comp claim, fight a denial of benefits, or make sure you’re getting the full benefits you’re entitled to receive, our law firm helps from the beginning and stays by your side.
Have a Question about Workers’ Compensation?
Getting hurt at work alters your life. Your head swims with questions. How will you stop your job injury from becoming a financial injury? How do workers’ comp benefits work? We’ve gathered answers. See them here:
Workers’ Comp FAQs »
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