Study: Wide variance in workers’ comp benefits

There is a whole host of concerns that a person experiences when they are injured at work. First and foremost, of course, there are health issues to be taken care of.

But once those have been addressed and recovery has begun, someone who faces the possibility of missing work and and paychecks begins to think about the level of income benefits they can expect to receive from North Carolina workers’ compensation.

It’s a human reaction. We want to know how great the loss of income will be and how that loss will affect us and our families.

According to a recent study based on data gathered in Michigan, the loss can be substantial — especially those who were classified as workers with permanent partial disability. In the 10 years after their injury, they received only 69 percent of what they would have earned if they had not been injured.

The data indicates that the average worker who is injured on the job received just 88 percent of what they would have earned had they not been hurt.

The study was by the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

The workers who fared best were those who had from 1 month to a year of temporary disability benefits. They received 91 to 95 percent of the earnings they were expected to receive without the injury.

While the figures should be studied by policymakers, those who are injured are most concerned with the immediate impact on their lives. A Charlotte workers compensation attorney can fight for full and fair compensation for you.

Contact Ayers, Whitlow & Dressler for information about how we can help you in an appeal of denied benefits.