First Responder Impairment Benefits

Answer:

I’m often asked by potential clients and first responders whether or not they may have a claim, or whether they settled their claim because they received impairment benefits. Impairment benefits are a statutory benefit that’s provided to you and it does not settle or close out your case, and it is not a restriction in your case. Impairment benefits are based on a rating that a doctor gives you, based on a whole book, and it’s put into a formula and we calculate how many weeks of benefits you receive for having your diagnosis or your injury. It is not a restriction. You can have no restrictions but still receive an impairment rating and receive impairment benefits.

Furthermore, if your employer does not pay your impairment benefits correctly, which happens quite a bit of the time, your statute of limitations may not have run and you may be able to reopen or re-investigate any old claim where your employer is telling you that your statute of limitations may have run or you’re not entitled to benefits. If you would like, please call us at Oliver and Fox and we’d be happy to review your impairment benefits, what have been paid, if they’ve been paid appropriately, and whether or not your case remains open.