What You Should Know about 2017 Workers’ Comp Accidents
Posted December 29th, 2016 by Anthony Carbone, PC.
Categories: Workers Compensation.
It’s not that the law is changing for workers’ comp accidents in 2017. However, payment rates for both temporary and permanent disability are adjusted each year. You should know what to expect if you suffer a job-related accident in 2017.
We’ve previously provided you with information concerning payments when you are ordered to stay out of work due to a workers’ compensation accident. The directive to rest up must come from an authorized medical provider. You are paid based on the average of your earnings for the twenty-six weeks prior to the accident. Benefit rates are determined based on the year the injury occurred.
Workers’ Comp Benefit Rates for 2017
Benefit rates are based on a chart prepared for New Jersey workers. Injured employees are entitled to seventy percent of the average of their gross earnings. However, there are maximum and minimum rates.
Even if you were a high-income earner, the most you can receive from workers’ compensation insurance is $896 per week for a 2017 accident. This amount is for temporary disability benefits or the time that you are ordered to stay out of work due to your injuries.
In comparison, the maximum benefit available to those hurt in 2016 was $871 per week. In 2015, it was $855.
There is also a minimum weekly benefit available to those who had lower gross earnings. In 2017, injured workers can expect to receive $239 per week. In 2016, the minimum rate was $232, as compared to $228 in 2015.
Permanent disability benefits also change each year. The 2017 Schedule of Disabilities sets forth the numbers for both partial and total permanent disability.
Total permanent disability benefits are based on the same numbers as temporary benefits. An injured worker who is found to be totally and permanently disabled could expect a maximum payout of $896 weekly. The numbers for partial total disability are also adjusted from year to year.
Contact Us
If you are an injured worker, these charts may mean nothing to you. They are provided for informational purposes. The real goal is for you to heal from your injuries and receive compensation that is due to you. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can assist you in receiving benefits.
At the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone, we have decades of experience helping injured workers. Contact us to see how we can assist you.
