Wage Continuation: A Disappearing Act

By: Matthew T. Hurm, Esq.
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If you have kids, you know that you should not leave money on the table – it tends to disappear. If you are an Injured Worker and accept wage continuation without filing a Workers' Compensation claim, you are potentially leaving money on the table.

Wage Continuation offered by an Employer to an Injured Worker can be beneficial to both parties – the Employee receives his or her full wage and the Employer saves on Workers’ Compensation premiums. Many Employer policies, as well as Collective Bargaining Agreements, provide for a Wage Continuation option for Injured Workers for a finite period of time. However, by not filing a claim with the Bureau of Workers' Compensation, you could be missing out on 2/3 of the compensation you are owed. Under the new statute, employees only have one year to file a claim. If the Injured Worker has residual effects even after returning to work, the medical attention required will not be covered without a claim. Also, by not filing a claim, the Injured Worker misses out of the possibility of receiving a percentage award for the injury sustained, as well as the opportunity to settle the claim for a lump sum payment.

We can help Injured Workers navigate this complicated system, while at the same time fighting for the Injured Worker’s job protection.

Do not leave your money or job on the table – contact the Hurm Law Firm for assistance and protection.