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Often, injured workers at home recovering feel the time off the job is an opportunity to travel.
Anyone can go on vacation even if they have an open workers' compensation case or while receiving benefits. How advisable taking a vacation is, depends on travel plans and how they comply with workers' compensation restrictions.
It is best to contact a workers' compensation lawyer for legal counsel before taking the trip. These attorneys understand aspects of a vacation that can negatively affect a disabled worker's status. They can even negotiate for vacation pay under certain conditions.
Larrimer & Larrimer has been handling workers' compensation cases for years. Our best workers compensation lawyers in Columbus are dedicated to assisting as many injured workers in Ohio as possible. Contact us and request a free consultation today.
Going on vacation while receiving workers' compensation benefits
The law requires that employers provide workers comp benefits to employees that develop a workplace injury or get ill on the job. To take a vacation while on workers' comp, an injured employee should keep the following in mind:
Medical Treatment
The injured worker who is traveling is still not allowed to miss their medical appointments to maintain treatment for their work-related injury. Before going on a vacation, they should first check in with their doctor. Appointments with physical therapists may be rescheduled to help these workers go on vacation without trouble.
Investigations
The employer's insurance company can hire investigators to gather evidence on claimants. This is how they verify that employees receiving workers' compensation are not doing anything counter to their doctor's restrictions. They also check to see if the employee is partaking in activities that should not be possible with certain injuries. Everything employees do on vacation impact their benefits. This is why they should be careful of what they post on Facebook and other social media outlets. How does one explain to an investigator their injuries make the physical exertion from work unbearable while jet skiing? Insurance companies don't want to be paying for monthly appointments with a physical therapist when the plaintiff doesn't need it.
Job Search
Certain injuries require that a person looks for another job while receiving benefits from their current employer. This is a way to ensure that victims don't lose wages while dealing with the impact of accidents on their ability to work. This requirement doesn't prevent them from going on a vacation.
Individuals should contact an experienced workers' compensation lawyer before they decide to go on vacation. These attorneys can guide them through what they risk losing with their vacation plans.
How Long Can People Collect Workers' Compensation Benefits?
There are two considerations for calculating workers' comp: their lost wages and medical expenses due to work-related personal injury.
It takes a maximum of years for victims to collect all benefits. The workers' compensation law also adds that a carrier is liable to pay the associated medical bills of the injured worker for as long as they live.
Several factors affect how much a victim gets as compensation and how long they receive it. A workers' compensation attorney helps evaluate all these for the person who sustains an injury at work.
Why Choose Larrimer & Larrimer?
The 2017 annual report of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OBWC) showed that about 12,000 workers' comp claims were disallowed or dismissed.
Workers end up losing their compensation rights in these situations. An experienced workers' comp lawyer can help restore the rights of such people after the verdict.
Larrimer & Larrimer takes pride in the idea that our firm has helped many people in Ohio get fair compensation after a work-related injury.
Get Help With Workers' Compensation Claims
People planning to go on vacation while on workers' compensation should call us at (614) 820-1855 to schedule a free consultation. Our law firm has experience with workers' compensation cases. Issues and concerns such as if one gets full pay if injured at work or how a workers comp claim can affect future employment can be properly addressed by our attorneys.
We focus on building a positive attorney-client relationship by ensuring that our lawyers provide as much legal guidance as possible.
Going on vacation while on workers' compensation is possible. Employees should know the best travel arrangements to avoid missing their benefits.
Contact Larrimer & Larrimer for a free case evaluation. Our office is also open for general information purposes.