“If I am off work, will I get paid? And if so, how much?”
This is a common question that comes up when an injured worker is taken off work. If a doctor says that you are not released to go back to work, then you should receive temporary total disability (TTD) benefits. In Nebraska, you must be off work for at least a week before benefits will become due. If you are off work for six straight weeks, then during that seventh week, you should receive money benefits for week number seven and week number one at the same time.
It is absolutely critical that every time you go to a doctor appointment that you have a work status form that the doctor completes and returns to you. We have a form in our office that we ask our clients to take with them that clearly explains the injured trucker’s work status. Once we receive that from the doctor’s office or from the client, we forward that to the insurance adjuster so that indemnity benefits, such as TTD, can be paid in a timely fashion.
The amount of TTD depends on the average weekly wage (AWW). Your AWW is calculated by taking the 26 weeks of earnings preceding the date of injury and averaging them. There is a maximum amount of benefits allowed by statute, and that limit changes from year to year.
If you have questions about these benefits or if you are not receiving what you are owed, please contact an attorney. One of our experience attorneys would be happy to complete a complimentary strategy session about your claim.