Wait times for workers’ comp

Despite following all safety measures and taking necessary precautions, employees sometimes injure themselves on the clock. Even if North Carolina employers have workers’ compensation insurance and agree to cover injuries and lost wages, employees still have bills to take care of. Knowing when they can expect to start receiving benefits helps them restructure their budgets.

To help, The Nest gives an idea of how long of a wait injured employees have ahead of them. The information helps to ease anxiety and create a timeline for getting finances back on track.

The claims examiner

After filing an injury report with an employer, injured individuals can expect an interview from a claims examiner, who should also interview witnesses to the accident and maybe even the employer. The examiner can take a while, as many as 90 days in some states, to decide whether to deny or accept a claim.

Medical-only claims

Some injuries only need medical attention before workers can get back to work. In this case, workers’ compensation covers the cost of medical attention; employees do not have to wait for these benefits.

Temporary disability

Instead of a quick visit to the emergency room, injuries could leave workers temporarily disabled. With this type of injury, employees have to wait until a physician declares them temporarily disabled. As long as their injuries leave them unable to work for at least 21 days, workers have to wait seven days before receiving benefits, notes Policygenius. Benefits keep coming in until the employee returns to work.

With temporary partial disabilities, employees receive benefits for as many as 500 weeks. With permanent partial disabilities, that period reduces to 300 weeks.