Workers’ Compensation Claims Process

Once a claim is established, there are three basic types of workers’ compensation benefits available to the injured worker:

1. Medical care: You are entitled to lifetime medical care, which includes doctor visits, physical therapy and medication. The injured worker is also entitled to mileage to and from doctor appointments.
2. Healing period or temporary total disability (TTD), temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits: This is the compensation you receive for being unable to work or for the time you need to recover from a workplace injury. If an injured worker is able to work reduced hours but not their regular hours, they are entitled to benefits that help make up the difference for missed hours.
3. Permanency benefits or permanent partial disability (PPD): In some cases, injuries may cause permanent disabilities. If your medical provider informs you that you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI), or the best you are going to get, you are entitled to PPD benefits if your injuries are permanent. At the time of MMI, your temporary benefits should convert to permanency benefits if your condition is deemed permanent.
   
   

Your employer’s insurer is supposed to evaluate your claim promptly. Shortly after reporting your injury, you should receive a letter letting you know whether your claim has been admitted or denied.

Even if your claim is initially denied, you may still be able to recover benefits. To protect your right to recover benefits, talk to one of our experienced Des Moines workers’ compensation lawyers immediately. We have seen countless examples of insurers fighting workplace injury claims or attempting to deny the full scope of someone’s injuries, and we will work hard to show the significance of the workplace injuries that you have suffered in your accident.