I suffered a workplace injury. What am I entitled to receive?

When Ohioans are injured in a workplace accident, they may be confused about what types of financial compensation they can expect to receive. Those who suffer a workplace injury - regardless of fault - are entitled to workers' compensation benefits to pay for medical expenses. In addition, there are other types of benefits that may be available based on the degree of the disability.

Some injured employees are able to return to a lesser-paying job after suffering an accident. They may be as fully recovered as possible but still face some restrictions. For example, they may not be able to lift more than 25 pounds or stay on their feet for an extended period of time. If this is the case, they are eligible to receive wage loss compensation to make up for their decrease in pay.

If the injury results in disability, then there are several options available based on the degree of disability and the length of time the employee is expected to be disabled. Temporary total disability compensation is awarded to those who are fully disabled and unable to work for a temporary period of time. Permanent partial disability payments are awarded to those that are expected to have some sort of disability for the remainder of their lives. The most extensive type of disability, permanent total disability, means that the employee is expected to be fully disabled for the rest of his or her life and therefore unable to hold down gainful employment.

If the employer was blatantly at fault for an accident that resulted in serious injuries, then the worker may file a lawsuit. The employer may offer a settlement and, in exchange, the worker would not be able to receive workers' compensation benefits.

Note that these payments are for those with approved workers' compensation claims. If you feel your claim has been wrongfully denied, you may want to discuss your case with a workers' compensation lawyer who can guide you through the process.

Source: Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, "Injured worker questions and answers (Q&A)," accessed Nov. 22, 2014