Alternate Medical Care can be requested, under limited circumstances, from the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner. While the employer is allowed, under Iowa law, to choose medical care that is promptly offered and reasonably suited to treat the injury without undue inconvenience to the injured work, the Commission can order more reasonable or alternate care if the injured worker files a petition under Iowa Code section 85.27.
Body as a Whole Disability workers’ compensation benefits are paid to an injured worker when an injury occurs to a non-scheduled body part (i.e., shoulder, back, neck) including injuries from significant burns, mental disability, or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Body as a whole injuries result in industrial disability benefits which compensate the injured worker for the loss of ability to earn an income. The Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commission will consider several factors in calculating a level of industrial disability including: the employee’s medical condition prior to injury, immediately after the injury and presently; the location of the injury; its severity and the length of healing period; the work experience of the employee prior to the injury, after the injury and potential for rehabilitation; the employees qualifications intellectually, emotionally, and physically; earnings prior and subsequent to the injury; age; education; motivation; functional impairment as a result of the injury; loss of earnings caused by a job transfer for reasons related to the injury; and inability because of the injury to engage in employment for which the employee is fitted.
Death Benefits are proper workers’ compensation benefits payable when a work injury results in death. Death benefits available to a family may include medical care, burial expenses, and dependent benefits.
Healing Period Disability (HP) workers’ compensation benefits are paid to an injured worker after an injury while produces a definable, permanent disability. HP benefits are paid beginning on the first day after and injury and continue until the injured worker returns to work, is healed as much as possible, or is medically capable of returning to a job substantially similar to the pre-injury job. There is no waiting period for HP benefits as there is for TTD benefits.
Occupational Diseases can lead to the payment of workers’ compensation benefits in Iowa. Iowa’s Occupational Disease Act covers diseases which arise out of and in the course of employment. The Act includes disorders such as respiratory problems and allergies that occur because of exposure to substances used in the workplace. Because the Act is restrictive, the general workers’ compensation law is often more beneficial when a worker has a traumatic exposure to workplace substances or pathogens, including toxic mold.
Occupational Hearing Loss is compensated in Iowa under the Iowa Occupational Hearing Loss Act. The Act provides limited coverage for injury to employees from hearing loss caused by prolonged exposure to excessive levels of noise occurring in a place of employment.
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) workers’ compensation benefits are paid when an injured worker sustains a permanent disability after suffering an on-the-job injury. PPD benefits are paid after the end of payment of healing period benefits. PPD benefits can be either “scheduled member disabilities” or “whole body disabilities”.
Permanent Total Disability (PTD) workers’ compensation benefits are paid when an injured worker sustains a total loss of earning capacity.
Reimbursement of Expenses is statutorily required for certain expenses associated with a workers’ compensation claim. Currently, mileage for travel to and from doctor and therapy appointments is reimbursed at the rate of $.29 per mile. Certain miscellaneous expenses such as meals and hotel rooms may also be subject to reimbursement by the employer or its insurance carrier.
Scheduled Member Disability workers’ compensation benefits are permanent disability benefits paid to an injured worker based upon a percentage rating applied to the State of Iowa schedule. The State of Iowa schedule – by statute – establishes a weekly value of the enumerated body parts (i.e., hand, leg, eye).
Schedule:
Scheduled Body Members |
Weeks |
Loss of thumb |
60 |
Loss of first finger |
35 |
Loss of second finger |
30 |
Loss of third finger |
25 |
Loss of fourth finger |
20 |
Loss of hand |
190 |
Loss of arm |
250 |
Loss of great toe |
40 |
Loss of any other toe |
15 |
Loss of foot |
150 |
Loss of leg |
220 |
Loss of eye |
140 |
Loss of hearing in one ear |
50 |
Loss of hearing in both ears |
175 |
Permanent disfigurement, face or head |
150 |
Body as a whole/industrial disability |
500 |
Second Injury Fund Act is a Fund established in Iowa to pay benefits to an injured worker who sustains the loss of use of a hand, arm, foot, leg, or eye and subsequently – due to a work injury – sustains a permanent loss of use of a second hand, arm, foot, leg, or eye. A qualifying injured worker is compensated by the Fund for lost earning capacity produced by the cumulative effect of the two, combined injuries.
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) workers’ compensation benefits are payable to an injured employee who returns to work after an injury at a lesser paying job due to the injury. TPD benefits are paid until the injured workers’ income increases or until maximum medical improvement.
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) workers’ compensation benefits are paid to an injured worker after an injury. TTD benefits are paid after three days of disability and are paid until the injured worker has returned to the job or is medically capable of returning to substantially similar employment. The three days of lost benefits are payable only if the disability exceeds fourteen calendar days.
Weekly Benefit Rate is the weekly benefit paid by the employer or its insurance carrier to compensate for lost time or for loss of use or lost earning capacity. A worker eligible for workers’ compensation benefits is paid a weekly rate which is approximately 60% of the workers’ gross earnings in the thirteen (13) weeks before the injury. These benefits are adjusted according to whether the employee is married or has dependents. Benefits are not taxable under either state or federal law.
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