When clients come to see a Wilmington workers comp lawyer, they always have the same question: “When will I start receiving my workers comp benefits?” As much as your attorney would love to answer that question, it’s not always clear. If more than a couple of weeks have gone by, you need to inquire with your employer as to what’s going on.
Of course, during this time you should be receiving medical care for your injuries or illness. If you are being treated, it’s safe to presume that your claim has been approved. If you don’t start to receive your weekly replacement wages, then there’s a problem.
If you’ve been approved for workers comp, then you should start receiving your replacement wages within 2-3 weeks. Nobody receives anything for the first week. But after that, you should start seeing money. If you don’t, let your Wilmington workers comp lawyer know so they can reach out to the insurance company.
Here, we’ll briefly discuss the timeline for receiving your workers compensation benefits. Of course, you may still have questions after reading this article. If that’s the case, just give us a call and schedule your free, initial consultation. During this first meeting, your Wilmington workers comp lawyer can answer any additional questions you may have.
You Must Be Out of Work at Least 7 Days
Most people who get hurt at work are only out for a few days. Unless you suffer a very serious injury, there’s no reason to be out much longer than that. For people who only miss a couple of days, they wouldn’t qualify for workers compensation.
Of course, they’ll still receive the medical care they need. For example, if they cut a finger and need stitches, this will be covered under workers comp. However, very few people would miss more than a day or two of work at most for this sort of injury.
If, on the other hand, you suffer a torn ACL or broken leg, you’ll be out of work for weeks or months. These are the cases that involve long-term benefits. The statute itself states that you must miss at least seven (7) days to even qualify for workers comp. And if you aren’t out for more than twenty-one (21) days, you won’t be compensated for this first week.
If You’re Out More Than 21 Days, You’ll Get Paid for Missed Time
North Carolina’s workers compensation statute is a bit stricter than most other states. Workers in Wilmington, North Carolina have to be out of work for at least 21 days before they’ll be entitled to be paid for the first week they were out of work.
This may not sound like a long time. However, as mentioned above, unless your injuries are rather serious, you should be back to work within those three weeks.
Your Claim Needs to Be Approved Before You Get Anything
We’ve been discussing the timeline for receiving workers comp in North Carolina. However, your claim must be approved before you receive anything. If you’ve suffered a workplace injury and haven’t received the benefits you feel you deserve, you should talk to a skilled Wilmington workers comp lawyer.
They can reach out to your employer and their insurance carrier to find out what the problem is. Or you may receive a letter in the mail indicating that your claim has been denied. If this happens, you definitely want a seasoned lawyer by your side. Until you know why it was denied, there’s not much your attorney can do to help.
You Should See Benefits Within 2-3 Weeks
For people whose claim has been approved, they should start to see replacement wages within a couple of weeks. Remember – you must be out for at least seven (7) days to even qualify for workers comp benefits. You also need to miss more than three (3) weeks if you expect to be paid for the first week.
If something is wrong and you don’t get the money you think should have been paid, call our office. One of our seasoned Wilmington workers comp lawyer will see what they can do to help.
Schedule Your Free Consultation with a Skilled Wilmington Workers Comp Lawyer
When you’ve gotten injured on the job, it can be a scary thing. You’ll worry about whether your employer will hold your job until you can return to work. You are also scared about how you’ll afford the bills for your family with only 2/3 of your average income.
Call and speak with one of our Wilmington workers comp lawyers to find out what is going on with your claim. They’ll get to the bottom of the issue and make sure you receive the benefits to which you’re entitled.
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