What is Workers’ Compensation in Derby, Connecticut?

Derby has lots of industries and workplaces. Lots of employees come daily to Derby to work at job sites. Unfortunately, some of those Derby workers suffer workplace injuries. Derby employees injured on the job should report their injury and file for workers’ compensation benefits as soon as possible. Delays can cost you eligibility for valuable benefits. Don’t delay, and don’t go it alone. Injured Derby workers need attorneys to protect their legal interests.

No-Fault Compensation

It does not matter if you caused your own injury. Connecticut’s workers’ compensation system is a “no-fault” system. This means that even if you cause your own injury, so long as you are working within your job capabilities, your injuries are covered by workers’ compensation insurance, and you can receive valuable benefits to compensate you for your injuries.

For example, Johnny stocks shelves in a Derby grocery store. As can happen, Johnny sustained a painful injury to his knee because he slipped on a wet floor in the grocery store. Johnny is fully covered for his injuries under Connecticut’s workers’ compensation system. Even if Johnny knew that the floor was wet, he is covered. Even if he walked over the slippery area, knowing that it might be slippery, Johnny is fully covered. Johnny would be covered under workers’ compensation even if he was the one that was supposed to clean up the wet floor. In Connecticut, it doens’t matter who caused the workplace accident. That is the benefit of our “no fault” system.

Using Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation is the exclusive remedy for wage replacement benefits and medical treatment for workers injured on the job. Workers’ compensation provides an expedient way to get an injured worker necessary medical treatment and benefits and to prepare the worker to safely return to work.

Workers’ compensation is your remedy if you are injured on your job. You would not sue your employer for your workplace injuries in the same way that you would sue another driver for a motor vehicle collision. Rather, you would file an official workers’ compensation claim to receive your benefits. However, there is a trade-off. While you can’t sue your employer, you can obtain immediate medical care for your injuries and gain valuable wage replacement benefits without going to court or filing a lawsuit. This is another benefit of our “no-fault” workers’ compensation system.

Injured Derby workers can receive all necessary medical care for their injuries. If you find yourself in this situation, your medical bills will be paid. Injured Derby workers will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses related to medical treatment, including travel expenses. Injured Derby workers will be paid wage replacement benefits when they are unable to return to work because of injuries, occupational disease, or illness. Additionally, injured Derby workers will be compensated for any permanent injuries or scars due to workplace injuries.

Possible Benefits

Chief among the many wage replacement benefits that might be available to an injured Derby worker are:

• Temporary Total Disability Benefits – You might not be able to go back to work because of the nature and extent of your injury. Assuming that your injury means you can’t work, you could receive Temporary Total Disability Benefits for all workdays missed because (at least temporarily) you are unable to go back to work due to the seriousness of your injuries. These benefits, paid weekly, are paid while you are unable to return to work in any capacity. They are equal to 75% of your after-tax average weekly wages (typical weekly wages minus federal taxes, state taxes, and FICA deductions).
• Temporary Partial Disability Benefits – Your injury might allow you to return to work, but you might not be able to perform all your prior job duties. Suppose your doctor believes that you can perform “light duty work,” and your employer does not have any light duty work available. In that case, you are entitled to Temporary Partial Disability Benefits (TP benefits). These benefits are calculated and paid at the same rate as your TT benefits (75% of your after-tax average weekly wages).
• Full Pay for Day of Injury – You are entitled to receive your full pay from your employer for the date of your injury. If you cannot return to work on the same day of your injury, your employer must pay you for a full day of work.

There are additional wage replacement benefits that an injured Derby worker could receive, depending upon the nature of your case. You shouldn’t depend on your employer to ensure you receive all the monetary benefits you are entitled to. If you have received a workplace injury in Derby, contact our workers’ compensation lawyers right away.