Delaware residents may claim workers’ compensation if they suffer a job-related injury or contract an occupational illness at work.
Family members of a deceased worker may also have the right to a claim.
What amounts may you recover for a job-related injury or illness?
You will likely incur medical expenses for a work-related injury or occupational disease. Workers’ compensation covers your bills for necessary medical and hospitalization care.
If you return to work part-time or at reduced pay, you may receive up to 300 weeks of temporary partial benefits. These benefits are two-thirds of the difference between your pre-injury wages and your current wages.
You may find yourself unable to work at all after an injury. You may collect temporary total disability benefits after a brief waiting period. Your award will be two-thirds of your pre-injury gross weekly wages, subject to prescribed limits set by the state.
You may also receive benefits if your workplace injury or illness results in permanent partial disability. The affected body part determines your level of compensation. For example, an injury involving one of your extremities is a scheduled loss, and an injury involving your back is a nonscheduled loss.
If your work injury results in a burn, amputation or scar, you may have the right to seek disfigurement benefits for up to 150 weeks. You must wait one year before claiming recovery for disfigurement.
What amounts are payable to family members when a loved one dies in a work-related incident?
Dependents may receive benefits when their loved one dies from a workplace accident or illness. Children lose their dependent classification when they turn 18 years old or, if they are full-time students, when they turn 25 years old. Children with physical or mental disabilities may collect additional sums.
Family members may receive up to $3,500 for funeral expenses.