Temporary Total Disability

Employees who are injured while on the job may file a claim with their employer’s workers’ compensation carrier to seek benefits for their injuries. Determining the amount and duration of the payments to which the employee is entitled is among the most important parts of the claims process. At the Law Offices of Robert C. Shea, we have guided many Massachusetts workers through the claims process and understand how daunting it can be, particularly if you are recovering from a painful and devastating accident. Brockton workers’ compensation lawyer Robert C. Shea can fight to ensure that you are treated fairly as you pursue the maximum amount of benefits that you deserve.

Pursuing Temporary Total Disability Benefits in Massachusetts

After you notify your employer that you have been involved in a job-related accident, which may include both instantaneous injuries and conditions that result from long-term repetitive tasks, you will be asked to attend a medical examination to assess two key factors. First, the physician will determine whether your injury is temporary or permanent. Next, the doctor will determine whether your injury is total or partial. It is essential to provide the physician who performs this exam with complete and accurate information regarding your injuries.

As soon as you have been involved in an accident, you should seek prompt medical attention to ensure that your injury does not become worse and to create a record of your injury’s assessment and treatment. If, after the medical examination performed by the insurance carrier, you are dissatisfied with the physician’s assessment, Massachusetts provides a mechanism that the employee can use to contest the report and to obtain another opinion. In some cases, a third physician will examine the employee to provide an independent medical examination.

Under Massachusetts law, an employee will qualify for temporary total benefit payments if the injury or illness renders the employee unable to perform work of any kind in light of the employee’s age, qualifications, and experience for six days or more. These days do not need to be consecutive. The benefit payments that the employee receives will be equal to 60 percent of the employee’s gross average weekly wage, which is determined using a specific formulation. The employee may receive these benefit payments for a maximum of 156 weeks, with benefit payments beginning on the sixth day that the employee is temporarily and totally incapacitated.

Discuss Your Situation with a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in the Brockton Area

At The Law Offices of Robert C. Shea, P.C. we understand how painful and inconvenient it can be to suffer a workplace accident. Not only are you in pain as you cope with an illness or injury, but also you may be unable to earn your usual wages, putting your family under financial stress. Brockton workers’ compensation attorney Robert C. Shea can work vigorously to ensure that you are treated fairly throughout the claims process and help you seek the full amount of benefit payments to which you may be entitled. We serve accident victims throughout Plymouth, Norfolk, and Bristol Counties, including in Stoughton, North Easton, and South Easton. We provide a free consultation to discuss your on-the-job injury and whether you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefit payments. Call us now at 617.674.0408 or contact us online to schedule an appointment with an injury attorney.