There are certain industries that are much more risky to workers than others. The construction industry, for instance, is known for many hazards it exposes workers to. The oil and gas industry is also risky. Whichever industry you are in, the law requires employers to provide their employees with some form of injury protection. The most popular type of injury protection program in the United States is the workers’ compensation insurance scheme. Through this program, employees get a wide range of Texas injury benefits, like https://qcare.org when they are injured at the workplace or when they develop an illness related to the work environment they operate in.
Aside from workers compensation, there are many other types of injury benefit programs in Texas. While other states require employers to sign up for workers’ compensation and enroll their employees, Texas offers a number of options. What is mandatory is the provision of an injury benefit program to employees; it does not have to be workers compensation. The ideal program, however, should match what workers’ compensation is offering in terms of injury protection.
Since there are many injury benefit programs in existence, it is recommended you compare them to identify the best one for your needs. The following are some common types of benefits offered by injury benefit programs:
Medical Benefits
This is perhaps the most important benefit offered by injury benefit programs. After all, medical costs associated with treating work-related injuries usually run into the tens of thousands of dollars or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. These costs can cripple any employee financially. With an injury benefits program, such as workers compensation, however, workers can be assured of payment of all essential medical bills by their provider. To enjoy this benefit, however, workers must give up their right to sue the employer for the injuries they sustained.
Temporary Disability Benefits
It is normal for injured workers to stay out of work for several days, weeks or months, depending on the severity of the injuries they sustained. Since they will not be able to work and earn the same income they are used to, an injury benefit program must provide temporary disability benefits. The norm is for the service provider to pay two-thirds or three-quarters of the weekly income the injured worker used to earn before the injury.
Long-Term Disability Benefits
If the injuries sustained by a worker are so serious that they cannot go back to work, they must be paid long-term or permanent disability benefits at the same rate as temporary disability benefits. This will ensure the disabled worker can continue living the kind of life they are accustomed to.
Death Benefits
If the illness or injury sustained at the workplace lead to death, the injury benefit program will pay death benefits to the survivors of the deceased. This can be the parents, kids or siblings.
Funeral Benefits
There is always a risk that a worker may succumb to the injuries sustained at the workplace. In such a case, the injury benefits program will pay the cost of the funeral. Most programs usually pay funeral costs after the funeral.
