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Workers Compensation For A Permanent Disability

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Have you experienced a permanent disability through work? A permanent disability doesn't always need to be a serious one. If you have an issue that is going to impair your ability to work or cost money to medically manage, you may be able to get disability benefits.

You Can Get Disability Benefits for Partial Disabilities

Partial disabilities are those that impair your ability to work but do not completely remove it. For instance, you could have a back injury that requires that you sit at a desk rather than stand. You could also have an arm injury that means you can't lift over 50 pounds. Though this disability makes it harder for you to work, it isn't impossible; consequently, you can get partial permanent disability.

You Need to Show Evidence Your Disability is Permanent

Whether your disability is full or partial, you'll need to show evidence that it is permanent in order for permanent disability benefits to kick in. A workers compensation treating doctor will need to assess your situation and determine that it will not get better, even if you have treatment. This is known as Maximal Medical Improvement. 

You Can Have Pre-Existing Conditions

You can still get disability for a pre-existing condition if that condition was worsened through work. As an example, you can have a pre-existing back injury that turned into paralysis due to a worksite injury. Though there was a pre-existing condition, the final disability was caused through or during work, and consequently it's still governed under a workers compensation claim. 

You Will Need File a Workers Compensation Claim

Perhaps the most important thing to know is that to get workers compensation for a permanent disability, you need to have filed a workers compensation claim. This claim has to be filed within a certain amount of time of your injury, varying by state. If you did not submit an initial claim, you will not be able to get it covered.

This is important because many may fail to make an initial claim until they realize their injury is severe or permanent. This is a mistake: a claim should always be filed when a work-related injury or illness occurs, precisely for this reason.

Permanent disabilities can range in severity, from those that only somewhat impair your ability to work to those that make it impossible. Either way, you may be entitled to compensation. A workers compensation attorney can help you look into your options.


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