The Louisiana workers’ compensation system provides benefits for workers after they have been injured on the job, so that they can pay for their medical care and have income while they are recovering.
However, workers’ compensation limits the dollar amount workers may receive in benefits. Generally, they receive only about two-thirds of their usual take-home pay, although there are many variables involved. Workers’ compensation benefits are usually limited by time, as well.
Because of these limitations, workers with serious injuries often have to supplement their workers’ compensation benefits with income from other sources. For example, they may be able to collect benefits from their own private insurance while they are disabled. Many workers who have permanent disabilities rely on Social Security Disability Insurance.
Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, is a federal government program that is funded through payroll taxes. As with Social Security retirement funds, SSDI can provide benefits for disabled people for life, provided they have enough work history to qualify for coverage. SSDI can also provide benefits to an injured workers’ spouse and children.
In some cases, workers can collect workers’ compensation and SSDI at the same time. However, the total amount the worker can collect from SSDI, workers’ compensation and other public disability benefits is limited to no more than 80% of the worker’s pre-injury earnings.
Injured workers and their families need all the help they can get. An attorney with experience in workers’ compensation benefits can advise injured workers about their rights and help them assess their options for maximizing the amounts they can receive in benefits.
