Ohio Worker Compensation Coverage

Ohio Workers’ Compensation Coverage: What’s Covered?

Doug Mann

Last updated on August 2nd, 2023

Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that covers the costs if an employee gets hurt on the job. The employee gets paid and has medical costs covered and, in return, gives up the right to sue the employer over the injury.

What Does Workers’ Compensation Cover?

If your claim is allowed, Ohio workers’ compensation will cover your medical costs. That may include emergency care, doctor’s appointments, and ongoing treatment for the injury. It also covers prescriptions that you need because of the injury, but you’ll need to inform the pharmacist that the medications will be covered by workers’ comp or you may have to pay and then wait for reimbursement.

Lost Wages

You may also receive pay for the time that you couldn’t work due to the injury. If you miss seven days or fewer, you won’t receive any compensation. If you miss 8-14 days, you’ll get compensation for the days past the first week. In other words, you’ll get paid for one day if you miss eight days total, four days if you miss 11 days total, and so on.

If you miss more than 14 days, you’ll be paid for the entire time, including the first seven days.

The Severity of Your Injury Factors In

The amount of compensation depends on the severity and type of injury you suffered. Ohio workers’ compensation law creates three different categories of injury: permanent partial disability, temporary total disability, and permanent total disability.

Permanent Partial Disability

A permanent partial disability is a permanent injury that affects your ability to function but still allows you to work. The BWC will evaluate your injury and determine the percentage by which it affects you. The compensation you receive will be based on your wage and this percentage. In general, you’ll receive 2/3 of your weekly wages for a set number of weeks.

The number of weeks is equal to double the percentage of your disability. In other words, if your disability is evaluated at 50%, you’ll receive 2/3 of your weekly wages for 100 weeks.

You’ll have to wait for at least 26 weeks after your payments for temporary disability end before you can apply to have a permanent disability evaluated.

Temporary Total Disability

Temporary total disability is an injury that makes you unable to work for a certain amount of time, but from which you’ll recover enough to work.

Permanent Total Disability

Permanent total disability is an injury that puts you out of work for good. Any injury that prevents you from getting a paying job qualifies. Ohio workers’ compensation law also specifically states that the loss of both eyes, both hands or arms, both feet or legs or any combination of two of the above (such as one eye and one leg) qualifies as permanent total disability.

Get Help with Your Workers’ Compensation Claim

It’s not easy to apply for workers’ compensation. You have to fill out a lot of paperwork and manage a lot of technical requirements. That’s tough at the best of times, but it’s especially difficult when you’re not feeling your best.

Our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys can help you get through the red tape and get the compensation you deserve. We can also help you if your claim has been denied or if you feel your claim was handled wrongly.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation and consultation.