Workers’ Compensation Benefi
ts
Serving Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and surrounding areas
In Oklahoma, the goal of the state’s workers’ compensation law is that injured workers have access to certain financial, medical and other benefits should they suffer an injury or other medical condition while on the job.
Here’s a brief outline of the types of benefits provided:
Medical Treatment & Expenses
If you’re injured at work, your employer is responsible for providing immediate and ongoing medical treatment — and for paying all of the bills associated with your treatment. Examples of covered treatment include x-rays, scans, lab work, physical therapy, surgery and medication. In most cases, there are no time or money limits when it comes to your treatment.
Temporary Disability
If you’re unable to work while temporarily recovering from your injury or illness, you may qualify for temporary total disability (TTD) or temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits.
This means you may receive compensation during the time you are off work, at a percentage of your weekly wage. These benefits continue until you return to work, are released by your treating physician, or that physician reports that you will not get any better on a long-term basis.
Permanent Disability
If you are never able to return to any type of work due to your injury or illness, workers’ compensation may pay permanent total disability (PTD) or permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits.
This can occur when a treating physician determines you are permanently disabled and have reached the maximum medical recovery that can be expected. Both PPD and PTD require a disability rating by a physician.
Vocational Rehabilitation
If your injury or illness means you cannot perform the same type of job again, you may qualify for job retraining, or vocational rehabilitation. This can give you the skills you need to enter a new field.
Death Benefits
In the tragic event that a work-related accident or condition results in an employee’s death, the employee’s spouse and dependent children may be eligible for financial benefits. This usually equals a percentage of the worker’s weekly wages. There may also be money paid for reimbursement of death-related expenses, such as burial.
Access to These Benefits
The key to gaining access to workers’ comp benefits is that you follow certain required steps, such as notifying your employer and seeking medical treatment within 30 days of the date of injury.
To learn more about workers’ compensation law and benefits, contact our respected and skilled workers’ compensation experts at Stipe Injury Law, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Although medical professionals are required by law to exercise the utmost care, skill and diligence when treating their patients, it is estimated that over 90,000 people every year are either injured or killed due to physician or nurse error. 
When workers are injured, employers and their workers compensation insurance carrier are responsible for providing those employees with the medical care they need as quickly as possible. 
If you are disabled, and can no longer work, the federal government offers disability payments to individuals who qualify under the Social Security Disability Insurance plan. 
