Are my Workers’ Compensation Benefits Taxable?
At the beginning of each year you expect to receive certain tax information from your employer. When you receive workers’ compensation benefits, many injured workers expect to receive tax paperwork from the BWC or their employer.
What is a VSSR Claim and What Happens After I File One?
Under Ohio Law, there are a specific set of safety requirements that employers are required to follow in order to ensure the safety of their employees. These requirements are codified under Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 4123:1. This section of the Ohio Administrative Code provides clear and distinct requirement that employers are obligated to follow. These rules are similar in nature to the rules set by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
VA Disability Cost-of-Living Adjustment for 2020 & Updated Benefit Rate Tables
Under federal law, cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for VA compensation and pension rates are the same percentage as for Social Security Disability benefits. This means that just like Social Security beneficiaries, disabled veterans will see a 1.6% increase in their monthly benefits for 2020 due to the rising costs of living. The 1.6% increase went into effect on December 1, 2019; however, veterans will not actually see a change in the amount of their disability benefits until January 2020. The following Rate Tables show the increased benefit rate for 2020.
Am I required to accept a light duty job offer if it does not follow my work restrictions?
Injured workers often find themselves faced with the difficult decision of returning to work within a different position than which they were working prior to their injury. If you are currently on temporary total disability compensation and have work restrictions that may enable you to return to work in a different capacity than the position you were working when injured, you should contact your employer about returning.
Can I Call Witnesses to Testify At My Workers’ Compensation Hearings?
Injured workers often wonder if they are able to call witnesses to testify on their behalf at hearings before the Industrial Commission of Ohio. So long as the witness has information pertinent to the issue being adjudicated, they are free to provide testimony at a hearing. Witnesses called to testify before the Industrial Commission of Ohio are free to provide factual information relevant to the adjudication of a claim.
Can I Receive Compensation if I am an Independent Contractor?
Even if you are classified as an “independent contractor,” you may still qualify for Workers’ Compensation benefits. The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation may determine that a person designated as an independent contractor is legally an employee and is therefore entitled to Workers’ Compensation Benefits. The BWC is focused on the level of control that an employer has over a worker, even if that person is classified as an independent contractor.
Veterans Disability: What is Individual Unemployability Compensation?
Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability is a unique disability benefit that allows the VA to pay qualifying veterans at the 100 percent rate, even when their total disability rating is less than 100 percent.
How Do I Prove A Work Place Incident Caused My Injury?
Injured workers in the state of Ohio often end up battling their employer and the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation to prove that they did in fact suffer an injury as a result of their work place accident. Many times we are asked “what do I need to show, to prove my work caused my injury?” The answer to this question is often times pretty intuitive. Essentially, there are two things that need to be shown; a medical expert must properly diagnose the condition that is being alleged and second, there must be evidence that shows that the work place incident caused the individual to suffer the given condition at issue.
What do I do with leftover pain medication after a work injury?
Governor DeWine has initiated a program to help injured workers dispose of unused pain medication. Pharmacies in Ohio will soon offer biodegradable bags to ensure the safe disposal of any opioids that go unused after a work injury.
Social Security Benefit Increases for 2020
The Social Security Administration recently announced that the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits will increase again in 2020 due to the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Social Security and SSI beneficiaries can expect a 1.6 percent increase in benefits in 2020 due to inflation and the rising cost of living.
