New Orleans Temporary Total Disability Benefits Lawyer
Workplace injuries can immediately send a worker to the hospital in the back of an ambulance. However, medical advances mean that many injured workers will eventually improve. Even if they don’t fully recover, they can often return to work at some point in the future. Temporary Total Disability benefits, or TTD, help tide them over.
A worker qualifies for TTD benefits when he or she is too injured to work but anticipates returning to work in the future. They are a crucial source of support for workers and their families, but insurers sometimes deny these benefits. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe today to speak with our New Orleans temporary total disability benefits lawyer. We can review whether you qualify and take appropriate action to secure the benefits you deserve.
A Closer Look at Temporary Total Disability Benefits
Workers qualify for temporary total disability benefits if they can’t work. If you can do some work, then you might return to employment, even part-time, and receive supplemental earnings benefits (SEBs). Workers who qualify for TTD benefits usually suffer serious injuries which require a period of rehabilitation.
To obtain benefits, you will need evidence from a doctor showing your injuries prevent you from working. This evidence can consist of medical records, lab results, diagnostic tests, observational studies, or medical testimony.
The amount an injured worker receives is based on several factors. The most important is the workers’ average weekly wage (AWW). Once we add up that number, we can multiply it by 2/3. This will be the amount of TTD benefits.
However, Louisiana does have minimums and maximums which might come into play. Someone who made a very high salary will probably receive less than 2/3 their AWW. Consult an attorney for more tailored information.
In Louisiana, you can receive temporary total disability benefits until:
- Your doctor has determined you have reached maximum medical improvement and you can return to work. This work can be light duty or even part-time. If you still have wage loss, you might receive supplemental earnings benefits.
- Your injury worsens and your doctor determines you are not expected to improve. You might have to switch to permanent total disability benefits.
Some workers will need the help of an attorney. The workers’ compensation system is supposed to give the benefit of the doubt to workers, but some insurers will aggressively try to deny claims. Often, they argue that you are well enough to return to light duty work, and they move to terminate your TTD benefits.
In other cases, they might argue your injuries aren’t even the result of a workplace accident, in which case they deny indemnity benefits along with medical care. Our lawyers can help you pull together evidence in support of your claim.
Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe Today
The workers’ compensation system is designed to protect workers, not line the pockets of insurance companies. Sadly, too many workers are struggling to get the benefits they deserve. If you are unfairly denied disability benefits, call a New Orleans temporary total disability benefits lawyer today.
