Tag Archives: Workers Comp Benefits
Can I Receive Permanent Disability Benefits If I Am Unable to Return to Work?
There are multiple kinds of workers’ compensation benefits available under Tennessee law. If an on-the-job accident leaves you with a permanent impairment but you are still able to work in some capacity, a workers’ compensation judge will award you permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits. But if you are unable to return to any kind… Read More »
Tennessee Court Rules Undocumented Immigrants Entitled to Full Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Workers’ compensation is supposed to protect employees who are injured on the job. If an employee who suffers a permanent partial disability fails to make a “meaningful return to work,” Tennessee workers’ compensation allows him or her to receive a higher award of benefits than if they are able to work again. The point… Read More »
Can My Employer Deny Workers’ Compensation Benefits If I Take Sleeping Pills?
In theory, workers’ compensation is supposed to provide “no-fault” benefits to employees injured on the job. But Tennessee law makes a special exception if the employee is found to have used drugs or alcohol prior to an accident. If an employer maintains a state-approved “drug free workplace” program, the employee may be denied workers’… Read More »
When Is a Tennessee Worker Entitled to “Permanent Total Disability” Benefits?
Tennessee’s workers’ compensation system provides different levels of benefits depending on the extent of an employee’s injuries. In addition to covering your medical expenses arising from an on-the-job injury, workers’ compensation also entitles you to partial replacement of any lost wages. And in severe cases where an injury renders you unable to return to… Read More »
How Long Do I Have to File a Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Tennessee workers’ compensation law allows employees to seek a “benefits review conference” (BRC) if their employer denies benefits for any reason. The burden is on the employee to seek a BRC by filing a “request for assistance” with the Tennessee Department of Labor. This is similar to a filing a complaint in order to… Read More »
Can My Employer Reassign Me to a Lower-Paying Job to Avoid Workers’ Compensation?
The Tennessee workers’ compensation system is designed to protect employees who are unable to return to work following an on-the-job injury. One way the law protects employees is by awarding higher benefits in cases where the injured employee does not have a “meaningful return to work” following an accident. A “meaningful” return means, among… Read More »
Can I Lose Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Not Following Safety Rules?
If you are injured in the course of your employment, you have the right to seek workers’ compensation benefits to cover your medical care and lost wages. But there are certain restrictions that apply to employees under Tennessee’s workers’ compensation system. For instance, an employer does not have to pay workers’ compensation if an… Read More »
Can I Lose Workers’ Compensation Benefits If I Fail to Provide a Complete Medical History?
Workers’ compensation is designed to protect employees who are injured on the job. But employers—and their insurance companies—often look for any angle they can to avoid paying what are supposed to be no-fault benefits. And while there are legitimate exceptions under Tennessee workers’ compensation law, as an injured employee you should not back down… Read More »
Tennessee Court Rules Widow’s Estate May Pursue Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Tennessee workers’ compensation law provides for death benefits in the event you are killed in a workplace accident. In cases where a deceased employee leaves a surviving spouse and one or more dependent children, Tennessee law provides the employer (or its insurance carrier) must pay a death benefit equal to two-thirds of the employee’s… Read More »
Do Not Let a Strong “Work Ethic” Deter You from Seeking Workers’ Compensation
Many workers are injured on the job and yet fail to file a workers’ compensation claim, often because they think the injury is not that severe, they are afraid of losing their job, or they simply have a strong work ethic. Unfortunately, many employers take advantage of these honest employees by denying valid workers’… Read More »
