[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ next_background_color=”#e8e8e8″ _builder_version=”3.19.3″ background_image=”https:\/\/hartlawfirmllp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/header-back-1.jpg” custom_padding=”155px|0px|150px|0px|false|false” bottom_divider_style=”arrow” bottom_divider_height=”7px” bottom_divider_repeat=”20x” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.19.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hartlawfirmllp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/h-gold.png” align=”right” _builder_version=”3.19.3″ max_width=”20%” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”right” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.19.3″ background_color=”#e8e8e8″ prev_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.3″ header_text_color=”#0e2240″]<\/p>\n
Of all the benefits available to injured workers under our Workers\u2019 Compensation Act, this is one of the most valuable.\u00a0 Unfortunately, insurance companies rarely pay out wage-loss disability benefits voluntarily.\u00a0 In fact, in order for the insurance folks and their lawyers to ever pay what they owe in this regard, they basically have to be forced to do so.\u00a0 Needless to say, it becomes\u00a0very<\/u>\u00a0difficult for an injured worker acting alone in a claim to get this done.<\/p>\n
If an employee suffers an injury that causes disability to the body as a whole (usually neck, shoulder, hip, back, skin and\/or head); the injury qualifies for an impairment rating under the\u00a0AMA Guides<\/em>; and the employee has permanent work restrictions making it so he or she can\u2019t return to previous employment, that employee is entitled to ask a Workers\u2019 Compensation Judge for an award of benefits based upon a loss of future earning capacity.\u00a0 As a simple example of how this could work, if a diesel mechanic making $20.00 an hour suffers a back injury; gets a 10% whole-body impairment rating; is assigned permanent, light-duty work restrictions; and is only able to get a job that pays $10.00 an hour, a Judge might find that the employee in this example has suffered wage-loss disability of 50%, since he or she is only able to make half of the pre-injury wage.\u00a0 This can add up to some big bucks, really fast.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve had a work injury and think you\u2019re going to have to take a pay cut, give us a call.\u00a0 We\u2019d be happy to visit with you and give you honest, real, straightforward advice on how you may be able to make a wage-loss disability claim.<\/p>\n Neal L. Hart, Attorney at Law<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Of all the benefits available to injured workers under our Workers\u2019 Compensation Act, this is one of the most valuable.\u00a0 Unfortunately, insurance companies rarely pay out wage-loss disability benefits voluntarily.\u00a0 In fact, in order for the insurance folks and their lawyers to ever pay what they owe in this regard, they basically have to be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-claims","category-law"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n