What are Impairment Benefits?

In North Carolina, workers’ compensation provides impairment benefits to injured workers hurt on-the-job.  

Workers’ compensation provides certain benefits to injured workers if they were harmed or made sick by performance of job duties. These benefits are available for all work-related illnesses and injuries, with no proof of negligence or wrongdoing required. Employees who are hurt do not, and cannot, sue an employer. Instead, they receive benefits as set forth under North Carolina’s workers’ comp laws. Impairment level is very important in determining the benefits that a worker will receive.

The North Carolina Industrial Commission explained how impairment benefits work.  Injured workers who are harmed on-the-job will get full payment of medical bills for injuries, and will also get total or partial disability benefits based on level of impairment.  

Physicians in North Carolina who treat patients seeking workers’ comp benefits will assign a percentage of impairment to the worker, which determines appropriate benefits awards based on the law. For example, if the sacrum was injured and healed with significant residual deformity, the victim with the injury would be considered 10 percent impaired.

If a healing period comes to an end and permanent impairment to a body part has occurred, the worker also receives a set amount benefits, regardless of whether he can work or not. The set benefits are determined by multiplying 2/3 of the worker’s annual weekly wage based on a set number of weeks, as determined by which body part is affected. The loss of a thumb, for example, would result in 75 weeks compensation while a lost arm would result in 240 weeks compensation.

To find out more about impairment benefits and to get help seeking benefits after a work injury, contact a Charlotte workers’ compensation lawyer today.