Thread: worker's comp questions

Call that idiot's boss NOW. There is NO reason on earth that a W. Comp. case worker has to be at a medical appointment. I actually called our W. Comp. reps today to ask about this stuff. After she quit laughing she said "are you kidding me, that person has no right or reason to be at an appointment". They usually handle everything from their office via phone, fax or e-mail. Our rep said she has never gone to anyone's medical appointment - nor would she want too. This little rep must be new or just a supreme control freak. You do not have to take your DH to the appointments (if you have been make sure you are turning in for mileage to and from the appointment along with mileage for picking up anything he needs medically). Your DH should be doing his own wound care if he is physically able to. He is probably thinking well she is doing it why should I. I say put your DH and that little twit together and let them figure it out.

Good luck on the job search. I would have been going nuts with all you are going through lately.

I don't think you can file for disability while receiving W. Comp. As technically he is still employed by the company. They cannot "fire" him until he has reached MMI (maximum medical improvement) and has been through all the treatment they can give. So I would cool your jets on the disability application as you might end up screwing up the W. Comp. stuff.

Found on the Michigan web site

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/wc...4_135317_7.pdf

Benefits continue so long as the worker is disabled. This could be for the rest of
his or her life. Benefits are reduced 5 percent each year beginning with the year
of the worker’s 65th birthday. This reduction continues until the worker is 75
years of age. At that time benefits have been reduced to 50 percent. They
continue at that level for the rest of his or her life. (This 5 percent reduction only
applies if the worker is receiving social security benefits and is not subject to
coordination as discussed below.)



Are workers’ compensation benefits affected by other benefits a
worker receives?
Section 354 provides for the “coordination” or reduction of workers’
compensation benefits to the extent the worker receives other benefits paid for by
the employer. Thus if a worker receives sick and accident benefits, pension
benefits, or other similar benefits, his or her workers’ compensation rate will be
reduced by one dollar for each dollar in other benefits that are received.
If the other benefits are taxable, such as a pension benefit might be, there is an
adjustment to represent the after-tax value of the benefit received.
Social security benefits are paid 50 percent by the employer and 50 percent by the
worker. Accordingly there is a 50 percent reduction for social security
retirement benefits.
Social security disability benefits are already reduced if an individual receives
workers’ compensation. Accordingly, there is no reduction in workers’
compensation for social security disability benefit


What medical benefits is a worker entitled to receive?
Section 315 of the Workers’ Disability Compensation Act provides that a worker
is entitled to all reasonable and necessary medical care. This includes medical,
surgical, and hospital services, dental services, crutches, hearing apparatus,
chiropractic treatment, and nursing care. The responsibility to provide medical
care continues indefinitely so long as the need for the care is related to the
industrial injury

Found this on a workman's comp Lawyer's site...it is specific to Michigan also...

http://workerscomplawyerhelp.com/wor...ith-paralysis/

Attendant Care

The insurance company must pay for the cost of attendant care from a nurse or other skilled individual. This is to help you with activities of daily living. Some examples include assistance with mobility, bathing, using the bathroom, eating, dressing, and taking medications.

Family members can also get paid up to 56 hours per week for providing attendant care. A spouse, brother, sister, child, parent or any combination of these persons can receive payment directly from workers comp.

Insurance companies will tell you that you are limited to 56 hours of attendant care per week. This is not true because the 56 hour maximum only applies to family members. If you need more than 56 hours per week, the insurance company must hire a professional to make up the difference.

It is also common for insurance companies to pay an incorrect hourly rate to a family member who is providing attendant care. Some insurance companies have been known to tell family members that it is their moral duty to help and will offer a nominal hourly rate to do so. A family member is generally entitled to the same hourly rate as a professional and should be paid accordingly.

Home and Vehicle Modification

You are entitled to home modifications. This could include widening hallways and doors or installing a wheelchair accessible bathroom or kitchen. Sometimes it is more cost efficient to buy or construct a new home.

Don’t let the insurance company get away with not making all of the necessary modifications to your home. We recently represented an individual who could not access the lower level of his house because of his wheelchair and needed home modifications. He was also not provided with a generator that was ordered by his doctor to prevent power outages. These items should have been paid by workers comp.

The insurance company must also pay to have your automobile modified. This includes installing a power ramp for a wheelchair or hand controls so you can drive. The insurance company does not have to purchase you a vehicle but it must make the necessary modifications.

Workers Comp

Originally Posted by littlered1

Had an appointment today and when she showed up, after him saying for the past week or so that he wasn't going to let her in any more appointments because he is seeing a mental health nurse now, he said that I didn't want her in there. Which of course caused her to flip out on me. So today she made them drop my attendant care down to 4 hours a day. was 12, which I know I can only recieve 8 paid anyway. The doctor's office is 1 hour away so we were there for over tow hours and I asked her how do you explain this if I get paid to take him to his appointments and we just spent all of my 4 hours, so now are you going to send someone out to change bandages tonight? She didn't really have an answer for that one.

Actually them paying for the travel is mileage expense not for your time there. If I was you I would tell the W. Comp. that you are unable to take him to appointments and you need them to arrange and pay for a taxi to take him to and from all appointments. Also call that twits boss and have her removed from the case it can be done.