If you're injured on the job, it can be stressful to worry about your health and how to pay for your medical treatments and your monthly expenses when you're off work recovering. You may need to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.
However, understanding what you're entitled to can be confusing, especially if it's your first time applying for benefits. The first step is to be familiar with the various types of benefits.
Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Almost all employees in New Mexico should be able to file for workers’ compensation benefits if they suffer an injury at work or develop an occupational illness. New Mexico requires all employers who have three or more workers—including the owner and family members who work in the business—to purchase workers’ compensation insurance.
If you're injured at your job, you could be entitled to the following types of workers’ compensation benefits:
- Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD). If you're unable to perform your job while you recover from your injury or illness, you may be entitled to two-thirds of your average weekly pay every two weeks. New Mexico law sets a minimum and maximum amount of your payment.
- Temporary Partial Disability Benefits (TPD). If you can work part of the time but cannot do all of your duties, you could receive two-thirds of the difference between your wages before and after your injury.
- Permanent Partial Disability Benefits (PPD). You may reach a maximum medical recovery, but not be fully returned to ability prior to the incident. In this situation, you could be entitled to Permanent Partial Disability Benefits. How much you receive and for how long depends on whether your condition is in New Mexico’s schedule of injuries, which lists injuries to certain body parts such as an arm, finger, leg, ear, or eye. If so, the amount and length of time for benefits would be set by the list. If your health issue isn't listed on the schedule, you could still be entitled to benefits, but they would be determined by such factors as the severity of your injuries, age, education, and more.
- Permanent Total Disability Benefits (PTD). If you suffered a serious injury that prevents you from performing your former job or any other, you could be entitled to Permanent Total Disability Benefits. You would be paid at the same rate as TTD benefits for the rest of your life.
- Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits. Vocational rehabilitation benefits could help you to return to your former job or receive training, counseling, and job placement services to make a career change if necessary due to your injuries.
- Death Benefits. If a loved one died due to a work-related injury or an occupational illness, you may be entitled to death benefits, which includes wage loss benefits.
Our Experienced Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Are Here to Help
Even if you're clearly entitled to benefits, the workers’ compensation insurance company for your employer could deny your claim. At The Injury and Disability Law Center, our Roswell workers' comp lawyers can take over the details of filing your claim, gathering important evidence, and negotiating your settlement so you can focus on recovery.
To learn more about the compensation you could receive and how we can help, call our office to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
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