Maryland, like most states, requires employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover damages incurred should an employee be injured on the job or develop an occupation-related illness. Compensation may cover a range of costs including medical care, prescription drugs, wages lost and vocational rehabilitation, as well, if the employee cannot return to their original role because of disability.
How does workers’ compensation work?
Whether injured or ill, you might be reasonably consumed by your medical predicament, and with managing your care and ongoing treatment, but now you’re a claimant, too, and there are things to know.
An employer must be notified within one year from the date an occupational illness has been diagnosed or a death has occurred. Failing that, barring certain exceptions, the employee’s claim will be nullified.
If your disability is because of injury, you should inform relevant personnel as soon as possible, but no later than 10 days after the accident.
As for wage replacement, if the temporary total disability incurred lasts 14 days or less, the first three days will not be compensated for, apart from medical expenses. However, if the temporary total disability period exceeds 14 days, then compensation begins as of the date of injury.
Of course, the next important item is how long will these payments last? Ideally, that would be until a full recovery is achieved, but it’s likely the employer’s insurance carrier will strive to limit the term of recovery.
To protect your claim’s duration and to handle the complex nuances that differentiate one claim from the next, it’s wise to consult as soon as possible with counsel experienced in this area of the law. Your health is your first priority, but your finances are a not-too-distant second.