Maryland workers compensation laws provide provisions for dealing with the cases of occupational injuries and illnesses in a way that should protect the rights of both employees as well as employers. When a worker gets injured at the workplace or suffers from certain illnesses while at job, he or she is entitled to monetary compensation. The injured employees must be compensated not just for the medical expenses but also for the loss of wages resulting from the temporary or permanent disability caused by the injuries.
Filing A Claim
The Maryland’s Workers’ Compensation Commission regulates such cases in this state and claims for occupational injury compensation must be filed with them only. As per Maryland workers compensation laws, while filing the claim, the worker has the right to request the Commission for a hearing. If the claim gets rejected, the worker has an option to contact the circuit court in his jurisdiction and file an appeal with them.
Death Benefits
In case a worker dies because of work-related injuries or diseases, his or her dependent family members get certain amount of money as death benefits, which must be paid either by the employer or by their workers compensation insurance service provider. The number of the dependent family members and an array of other factors are taken into account to determine the amount of the compensation in this regard. In addition to that benefit, the Maryland workers compensation laws also has provisions that require the employer to pay for the burial expenses, which can be up to $5000.
Reimbursement For Specific Expenses And The Resulting Wage Loss
An injured employee also has to pay a lot of money in terms of traveling expenses in relation to court hearings and to medical appointments. Besides that, because of these appointments, the employee may even have to remain absent from work. All such expenses and the resulting wage loss are reimbursable under the Maryland workers compensation laws.
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits
An injured worker may qualify for permanent partial disability benefits in a situation where he or she is suffering from impairment caused by the injuries, which does not prevent him or her to return to work, but is still so severe that has reduced his ability to perform (such as, loss of a finger). If the average weekly wage of the worker is $50 or above, he or she must receive at least $50 per week as part of the permanent partial disability benefits. This amount can be lower in case the weekly wage of the employee is less than $50.
The length of the period for which the employer must continue these payments will depend upon an array of factors, such as the severity of the injuries. For example, as per the Maryland workers compensation laws, the disability benefits must be provided for one hundred weeks in case a worker loses his or her thumb because of occupational injuries.