After you’ve filed a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim and your injury has healed, you may be released by your attending physician for what is labeled as “light duty” work. While you may not be able to return to work for the job that you held before, you can look for work that is less strenuous and able to be done post-injury.
- What are the steps you need to take to secure “light duty” work so that you can return to work, even if it is not in your original capacity. The Workers’ Compensation Commission has outlined steps for just that reason. They include:
- When cleared for a particular type of “light duty” work by your attending physician, apply for any available work that matches that description with your current employer.
- Let the insurance carrier know that you’ve had a change in status and present them with a list of the employment contacts you make each week.
- Make your insurance adjuster aware that you are expecting to receive temporary partial benefits for each week that you make a list of employment contacts available.
- Once you’ve secured employment, if it pays you less than what you were making before, let your insurance adjuster know so you can be made eligible for wage differential benefits.
If you’ve been injured on the job and cannot return to your full time employment because of it, you are entitled to find “light duty” work that compensates you. It may not compensate you enough and in that case there is an option to have a differential benefit paid to offset the losses.
When you’re filing a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim you may need to speak with an experienced and board certified attorney. Contact our office for a review of your case.
