New Orleans Supplemental Earnings Benefits Lawyer
Many injured workers fear they can no longer provide for their families. Serious workplace injuries do more than cause pain and require expensive medical care. They can also make it impossible to return to work. Fortunately, workers’ compensation in Louisiana provides a range of indemnity benefits to those who can’t work.
Supplement earnings benefits are a vital source of support. If you return to light duty or part-time work, you will still see a reduction in your income. Supplement earnings benefits can make up some of the difference, providing some much-needed breathing room. To learn more, contact our New Orleans supplemental earnings benefits lawyer.
What Are Supplemental Earnings Benefits?
Many injured workers are only partially disabled, which means they might be able to return to work—but only in a limited capacity. In many cases, a worker cannot return to an old job. The new job, however, doesn’t pay as much as the old one. There is a gap between what the worker can earn now and what they used to earn.
In New Orleans, workers might qualify for supplemental earnings benefits. They make up the difference between the current pay and the workers’ former average weekly wage. For example, Larry might have made $500 a week in a warehouse. After suffering an injury to his shoulder, he can now work at a call center for $400 a week. There is a $100 shortfall which supplemental earnings benefits might make up.
Other workers might only be able to return to their old job on a part-time basis. They also will suffer a reduction of income.
Helpfully, these workers can request supplemental earnings benefits (SEBs). To qualify, you must return to work in some capacity. It isn’t unusual for workers to initially get Temporary Total Disability benefits. But after receiving treatment, at some point a worker either fully recovers or reaches maximum medical improvement, which means they are as well as they are going to get.
Once you reach MMI, a doctor can give the green light for you to return to work. Your TTD benefits convert to SEB at that point. You can receive them for, at most, 520 weeks or 10 years.
How Much Can You Get in SEBs? Generally, you can get supplemental benefits if you can’t earn at least 90% of your prior average weekly wage. At most, you can get only two-thirds of the difference between your current earnings and your AWW. So in the example above, Larry makes $100 less than he used to. He would qualify for roughly $67 in SEBs. There are also maximum amounts, which might come into play if you made a high wage or salary.
An Experienced Law Firm Committed to Helping Injured Workers
Louisiana makes many benefits available for injured workers. Ensuring you get everything you are entitled to can be a challenge. Insurers often like to deny benefits unfairly, but you can usually appeal. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe today to speak with a New Orleans supplemental earnings benefits lawyer today.
