Oklahoma law requires most employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance, which provides benefits to workers who suffer from work-related injuries or illnesses. Depending on your circumstances, various benefits may be available to you through the Oklahoma workers’ compensation program.
- Payment of medical expenses – Workers’ compensation covers the costs of any medical care and treatment that you receive for your work-related injury or illness. However, your employer can specify which medical providers treat you. Covered medical expenses include all those that are reasonable and necessary to treat your injury or illness.
- Continuing medical maintenance and care – If your treating physician or medical examiner recommends it, you may be eligible to receive continuing medical maintenance and care related to your illness or injury.
- Lost wages – You can receive compensation for lost wages while you cannot work due to your work-related injury or illness.
- Temporary total disability benefits – If you cannot return to work due to your injury or illness, you may be eligible for temporary total disability payments (TTD). TTD benefits consist of 70% of your average weekly wage, capped at 100% of the state’s average weekly wage. You can collect TTD benefits until you can return to your regular job, have reached maximum medical improvement, or have received up to 156 weeks of payments.
- Temporary partial disability benefits – If you can return to work and perform light duty or lower-paying tasks, you may be eligible to collect temporary partial disability payments (TPD). These benefits represent 70% of the difference between your pre-accident and post-accident wages. You can receive TPD benefits until you resume your regular work hours and position or for a maximum of 52 weeks.
- Permanent total disability benefits – If your work-related illness or injury leaves you permanently and totally disabled and unable to work, you may qualify for permanent total disability benefits (PTD). These benefits are 70% of your regular wage up to a maximum of 100% of the state’s average weekly wage. You are eligible to continue receiving these benefits until you qualify for maximum Social Security Retirement benefits or 15 years, whichever period is longer.
- Permanent partial impairment benefits – You may be able to receive permanent partial impairment benefits (PPI) if you have a permanent impairment as a result of your work-related illness or injury, but you can still do some type of work. The amount of PPI benefits depends on the severity and type of impairment that you have suffered. You will receive 70% of your average weekly wage up to a set maximum amount.
- Compensation for loss of a body part – If you lose a hand, foot, or another body part due to a work-related injury, you may receive a lump sum of PPI benefits based on which body part is involved, a percentage of your wages, and a set number of weeks of benefits.
- Job retraining and placement services – These benefits are available for workers whose injury or illness leaves them unable to return to their former jobs. However, they are not totally disabled, in that they may be able to perform some other type of work. In addition, workers who qualify for permanent partial disability benefits can also qualify for these benefits and can receive retraining to work in a different field altogether.
- Death benefits – In the case of a fatal work-related accident or illness, a worker’s surviving spouse and dependent child or children may be eligible to collect monetary workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits are partially paid in a lump sum and then in installments based on a certain percentage of the deceased worker’s average weekly wage and the state average weekly wage.
Contact Armstrong & Vaught, P.L.C. Today for Help
We are here to assist injured workers with all their workers’ compensation insurance and related legal needs. Call us today at (918) 582-2500 or visit our website to learn more about the services that we can offer you.