What is the Average Payout for Workers’ Compensation in Wisconsin?
Being injured on the job can be a traumatic, painful, and stressful experience. Bills and other expenses can pile up quickly after a workplace injury, and one of the most common questions asked by victims injured on the job is what the average payout is for a workers’ compensation claim?
The truth is that these Wisconsin workers’ compensation attorneys Wisconsin workers’ compensation attorneys at Gillick, Wicht, Gillick & Graf are here to help. To learn more about what the average payout is for your type of workers’ compensation claim in the Milwaukee area, call or contact our office to schedule a free consultation of your case today.
The Severity Of The Injury
One element that dictates the payout of a workers’ compensation claim in Wisconsin is the severity of the injury. In Wisconsin, workers’ compensation covers all related medical expenses associated with workplace accidents. Was an ambulance needed, or could you take yourself for medical treatment? Did a doctor’s visit suffice, or was a trip to the emergency room necessary?
Was there hospitalization, surgery, or other significant treatment required to address the injuries? The answers to all these questions can affect the payout on a workers’ compensation claim. Medical coverage also includes payment of the following:
- Doctor’s bills
- Hospital bills
- Medication
- Medical and surgical supplies
- Medical devices
- Rehabilitation
- Transportation expenses
The severity of the injury also often dictates how long an employee will be out of work. Temporary total disability payments compensate an injury victim while they are recovering from the accident and unable to perform any type of work or could return to restricted work but have not been offered anything from their employer that meets the restrictions.
Temporary total disability payments are two-thirds the average weekly wage of the employee, up to a statutory maximum. These benefits continue until an injury victim returns to work or reaches maximum medical improvement.
Ability to Return to Work
Whether or not an accident victim can return to work, and if so in what capacity, also affects the average payout of a workers’ compensation claim in Wisconsin. If a worker can return to work but in a limited capacity that results in a lower wage, that employee is entitled to collect temporary partial disability benefits. The amount of these benefits is two-thirds the difference between the pre-and post-injury average weekly wage per week up to a statutory maximum.
If a workplace injury is so severe that it results in an employee’s being unable to perform any type of work after the accident, they are entitled to permanent total disability benefits under Wisconsin workers’ compensation.
In many cases, this means receiving permanent total disability payments for the rest of the employee’s life. Certain injuries, such as the loss of both eyes or appendages, are automatically deemed totally disabling, while other severe injuries must be determined totally disabling by a vocational professional.
Determination of Disability
Another element of a workers’ compensation claim that often determines the average payout of a case is whether the employee receives a determination of permanent partial disability after reaching maximum medical improvement. If a worker is deemed to have some level of permanent partial disability, they will receive a permanent disability rating, expressed as a percentage of lost bodily function.
Employees who are permanently disabled by a workplace accident are entitled to collect permanent partial disability payments, which are also calculated as two-thirds of a worker’s average weekly wage. However, the maximum limits are lower than the temporary disability benefits. As of April 10, 2022, Wisconsin’s maximum benefits for permanent partial disability is $415 per week.
Other Factors that Influence Payout
There are other factors that may also influence the average payout of a workers’ compensation claim in Wisconsin. For example, if a worker receives permanent disfigurement as a result of the accident, workers’ compensation may award disability benefits for any parts that are visible at work or could result in wage loss. These benefits vary based on the worker’s age, education, training, previous experience, and occupation.
Workers’ compensation also covers the costs of vocational training and rehabilitation for injured employees. If it is hard or impossible to return to the same work as before, vocational rehabilitation is available for up to eighty weeks which includes career planning, job placement, and retraining of skills. During that time, a worker may be entitled to additional temporary total disability payments. To learn more about what elements may impact the average payout of a workers’ compensation case in Wisconsin, talk to our office today.
Call Our Wisconsin Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
At Gillick, Wicht, Gillick & Graf in Milwaukee, our experienced and skilled Wisconsin workers’ compensation lawyers understand the financial strain that can come with a physical injury at work. Our knowledgeable attorneys are prepared to review the details of your case and provide a thoughtful estimate of what your claims might be worth as well as help you with every step of your workers’ compensation claim. If you are interested in learning more, call the office today to schedule a free consultation.