Life is full of uncertainties and unexpected turns, so it is important to know how sickness or disability because of an on-site job injury could affect you.
Each state is responsible for its own workers’ compensation programs.
Nevada and Tennessee require most businesses, with some exceptions, to offer comp benefits to their employees.
For an in-depth look at Workers’ Comp specific to Tennessee, check out our article on the subject.
Increase Your Settlement
You’re probably asking:
“Does surgery increase workers comp settlement in Tennessee or Nevada?”
The answer is most likely.
If your surgery is extensive and complications follow, then the settlement likely will increase. If your surgery is mild and you resume the ability to work, then the settlement may not increase.
It is good to be aware that surgery may increase your workers’ compensation settlement amount depending on the surgery that your doctor advises and the care needed that follows.
Generally, your treatment will begin with less invasive medical treatments that are offered first, but if those are non-effective and surgery becomes the only real option, the settlement should increase as mentioned.
Your settlement amount might also increase further if your injury requires more than one surgery, results in permanent or partial damage, and or you have pain that will need consistent medical care for years or a lifetime.
You might need time off of work for recovery or be unable to re-enter the workforce. If your injuries permanently disable you from the workforce, you should be able to receive disability. And there is compensation if injury results in death.
Consider The Options
When asking the question, “Does surgery increase workers comp settlement?” you’ll want to consider whether or not you will settle before or after surgery. This decision is important and requires professional guidance.
One-Time Settlement Beforehand
If you receive the entirety of your settlement beforehand, it will be more difficult to receive additional benefits moving forward. However, if you do settle before surgery, you have more freedom to choose the doctor of your choice.
Having the option to pick a doctor you trust is a great comfort.
Ultimately though, you won’t know how much the medical expenses will be, so if you do settle before surgery, the cost to you personally might be daunting. The expenses might have to be covered by you without compensation.
Settlement In Installments
The other option to consider when you are pondering, “Does surgery increase workers comp settlement?” is selecting to receive installments rather than a one-time settlement.
If you choose this route it will probably be easier to get more from your settlement. This will give more peace of mind for unexpected medical costs that can accrue.
Foregoing Surgery To Decrease Your Settlement
You can also choose to forego the surgery that is suggested. However, this might affect your workers’ compensation settlement.
High-risk surgeries, failure of past surgeries, and conflicting medical opinions by doctors are some of the reasons you might choose to reconsider the surgery presented. Another roadblock you might encounter is that the insurer might refuse to pay for the surgery.
Can You Be Ineligible For Compensation?
Time is of the essence when it comes to being eligible for compensation, so make sure you file your worker compensation claim quickly.
To learn more about workers’ comp, check out NCCI, the premier source of workers’ comp information on the web.
Contact Us
To get started with a workers’ comp plan, call us today or use our Contact Form.