How Much Does Workers’ Comp Pay for Lost Wages?

Posted in Workers Compensation on February 21, 2023

Individuals who sustain on-the-job injuries in the state of Arizona will usually be able to recover money through workers’ compensation benefits period these benefits will pay for all medical bills associated with the injury as well as a significant portion of lost wages if an individual is unable to carry out their job-related duties while recovering. Here, we want to discuss how much workers’ compensation insurance could pay if you sustain a serious work injury or illness.

Understanding Pay After an Injury at Work

The Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA) oversees the workers’ compensation program in Arizona. Under this type of insurance, individuals should be able to recover complete coverage of any medical bills arising from an on-the-job injury as well as a significant portion of lost wages if an individual cannot work.

In Arizona, if a doctor determines that a person is unable to work or perform light duty as a result of their on-the-job injury for more than seven calendar days, then they will receive temporary compensation.

• The first seven days of lost wages are not paid unless a person sustains earnings loss for 14 days or more.
• If an individual is off for 14 days, the compensation they receive will be retroactive back to the date of the injury, and they will receive payment for those 14 days.

Individuals will receive 66 & 2/3% of their established average monthly wage. This will typically be calculated on the earnings a person gained during the 30 days prior to their injury, though there are other methods that could be used to calculate the average monthly wage.

For the sake of simplicity, let us imagine that a person earned an average of $4,000 on average each month prior to their injury. If they are unable to work for 14 days or more, then they should be able to receive approximately $2,666.66 a month through workers’ compensation benefits ($4,000 x 66.66%).

How Long do Benefits Last?

Workers’ compensation benefits in Arizona typically last until a doctor determines that the individual has reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). This is the point where a doctor thinks that any further medical treatment will be unlikely to improve the worker’s condition any further. There is no directly stated time limit for how long a person can receive workers’ comp benefits in Arizona. This decision will typically revolve around when a person reaches MMI.

Individuals who sustain long-term disabilities may need to apply for Social Security Disability benefits if the injury is expected to keep them from working for more than a year.

Will You Need Help From an Attorney?

If you have any questions about how much compensation you should receive after sustaining an on-the-job injury, we encourage you to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. There are times when employers or insurance carriers push back from having to pay out fair compensation, and that is not fair to you. An attorney can look into the case, work to determine how much compensation you should receive, and stand up to the insurance carrier or employer on your behalf. This may include going through the appeals process to receive a continuation of benefits or to receive more compensation.