Worker's Compensation Insurance

1. See Also
   1. Disability
   2. Disability Evaluation
   3. Disability Management
   4. Workplace Injury
   5. Occupational Asthma
   6. Allergic Occupational Asthma
   7. Eye Injury in the Workplace
   8. Return to Work in Lumbar Back Pain
   9. Shoulder-Related Work Restriction
   10. Worker Compensation
   11. Work-Related Skin Disease
   12. Carcinogens in the Workplace
2. Background
   1. Worker Compensation is not insurance
      1. Worker Compensation is an amortized business expense
      2. Companies pay back full medical expense with interest
   2. Most patients do not like to be on Worker Compensation
      1. Workers uncommonly cheat system or recurrently file
      2. Benefits are meager compared to a worker's salary
      3. Coworkers often outcast those on Worker Compensation
      4. Most workers wish to return to work as soon as able
   3. Coverage for workers ill or injured due to employment
      1. Medical coverage
      2. Indemnity coverage
   4. Maximal benefits
      1. General cap: 66% of wages
      2. Higher wage earner: <50% of wages
3. Definitions: Aspects of Disability
   1. Degree of medical Impairment related to employability
      1. Partial Disability
         1. Patient able to engage in gainful employment
         2. Disability prevents return to usual occupation
      2. Total Disability
         1. No gainful employment in a reasonable labor market
   2. Duration of medical Impairment
      1. Defined after maximal medical improvement reached
         1. Maximal response to therapy acceptable to patient
      2. Categories
         1. Permanent
         2. Temporary
4. History: Key information
   1. History of Injury or Illness
      1. Injury
         1. Date of onset
         2. Mechanism of injury
      2. Illness
         1. Firm diagnosis
         2. Strong exposure
         3. Temporal relationship between illness and exposure
         4. Epidemiologic literature supports the claim
   2. Work history
      1. Duration of employment
      2. Other concurrent jobs, hobbies, and sports
      3. Work exposures
      4. Job satisfaction
      5. Relationship with boss
   3. Pre-existing illness or injuries
      1. How recent did this occur?
      2. How frequently has this occurred?
      3. Any permanent restrictions or assigned Disability
5. Resources
   1. U.S. Department of Labor Worker's Compensation Programs
      1. http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/workcomp
   2. Workers Compensation
      1. http://www.workerscompensation.com