The New Jersey workers’ compensation program provides crucial benefits to employees. Those injured on the job or dealing with a work-acquired medical issue can receive medical benefits that pay for their treatment costs. Workers’ compensation can pay for surgery, medication and physical therapy.
The injured professional may also be eligible for disability benefits to help replace their wages. If they cannot work until they heal, temporary total disability benefits can help them. If they can only work a light-duty job with lower pay, temporary partial disability benefits could supplement their wages. Workers’ compensation reduces the financial pressure on injured employees.
Medical benefits can cover all necessary treatment costs, and disability benefits can continue until workers fully recover and return to their positions. In some cases, workers face complications during their recovery. The doctor overseeing their treatments may decide that they have achieved maximum medical improvement (MMI). What does that claim mean for the employee’s benefits?
Coverage changes after achieving MMI
The term MMI refers to a scenario in which a worker has stopped responding to treatment. They have not fully recovered, and they may have symptoms that limit their functional abilities. The doctor overseeing their care believes that they are unlikely to have any significant symptom improvement even with ongoing treatment. Severe injuries and repetitive strain injuries often lead to a designation of MMI, as workers may never fully heal.
A designation of MMI usually means that medical treatment benefits end. Workers’ compensation may continue covering medical benefits necessary for symptom management. However, coverage for treatment intended to reduce or eliminate symptoms may end. A designation of MMI can also affect disability benefits. A worker may no longer be eligible for temporary disability benefits. Instead, they may need to consider seeking permanent disability benefits.
Whether or not they can work determines what type of benefits the worker can receive. The state can pay a lump-sum amount or may provide ongoing benefits to supplement a worker’s reduced earning potential or replace their lost income. In scenarios where workers’ compensation claims face major challenges, employees may need help retaining their benefits and getting the most support possible. Learning more about benefits can help injured workers pursue the support they need for job-related health conditions.