Chapters 85, 85A, and 85B of the Iowa Code establish what you may recover if you are injured in a work-related accident. The damages that you may recover are not the same as they are in a typical accident case. If you’ve been hurt in the course of your employment, then it is important to understand what you may be able to recover through the workers’ compensation system so that you can fight for your fair recovery.
Iowa Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Iowa law allows you to recover the following if you’ve been hurt in the course of your employment:
- Medical costs. Most of your medical costs will be paid directly to the provider(s) that your employer has approved for your care. You may also be reimbursed for your transportation to and from medical appointments, for meals and lodging that are incidental to your medical treatment, and, in some circumstances, for lost wages if you have to miss work to receive medical treatment.
- Weekly benefits. You may receive weekly benefits based on your average weekly earnings, the type of the disability that you suffer, and other factors set forth by law. You may receive benefits if you have a temporary partial disability, a temporary total disability, a permanent partial disability or a permanent total disability.
- Other benefits. Other benefits allowed by Iowa workers’ compensation law include vocational rehabilitation benefits, burial expenses, and death benefits for certain dependents if a work-related injury caused a worker’s death.
While the law may require your employer’s insurance company to pay you these benefits, workers’ compensation insurers act like other insurance companies and try to maximize their profits by paying you as little as possible. Accordingly, you need to be aware of the benefits that you might recover and you may need to advocate for your recovery of such benefits.
We can help you do that if you’ve been hurt in an Iowa workplace accident. Simply contact us at your convenience—any day of the week—to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.
