The Arizona workers’ compensation system provides medical cost compensation and a certain amount of income replacement benefits for workers who qualify. However, there is a seven-day waiting period for lost wage benefits.
If you still have questions or need help with Arizona workers’ comp generally, call us at the Matt Fendon Law Group at (800) 229-3880 to speak with a workers’ compensation specialist.
When Does Workers’ Comp Start Paying?
How soon you receive compensation through workers’ comp depends on the nature of the benefits you receive.
Payments for Medical Expenses
You are eligible to receive medical benefits payments for costs, including doctor’s office and emergency room visits, hospitalization, ambulance transportation, prescription medications, physical therapy, medical imaging, and laboratory tests.
Qualifying payments for medical bills connected with your work injury or medical condition are payable as soon as your employer’s workers’ comp insurance company approves them. The insurer has up to 21 days to accept or deny the payment claim. Your shortest possible waiting period for medical compensation payments should be no longer than four weeks after you leave work.
If you pay for your own medical treatment out of pocket in advance, you can be reimbursed for these payments through workers’ compensation after you notify the insurance provider.
Payments for Lost Wages
Unlike medical care compensation, wage loss benefits are subject to a delay period.
Before lost income payments can begin, you must have either been out of work or assigned to light-duty work for at least seven days. Your treating doctor or other health professional must certify that you cannot return to regular work during this time. This waiting period applies regardless of the severity of your injury or medical condition.
Once you meet the seven-day threshold, you can qualify for temporary disability payment benefits.
- If you can return to your regular work within 14 days, then you will not receive lost wages for these first seven days.
- Once you have been out of work or on light duty for at least 14 days, then you will receive lost wage compensation for the first seven days and all subsequent days.
How Often You Can Expect to Receive Benefits
Once you have satisfied the waiting period, your workers’ comp payment schedule is based on what kind of disability benefits you receive.
Temporary Total Disability Benefits
Temporary total disability benefits are paid every 14 days. Your first payment for temporary total compensation will be processed once the claim is accepted; the insurance carrier has 21 days after receiving a notification from the ICA to accept the claim.
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits
Temporary partial disability benefits are paid every 30 days.
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits
Permanent partial disability benefits are for injured workers who cannot fully recover from a work-related injury or medical condition. Once you reach maximum medical improvement, then you are eligible to receive these benefits monthly.
Death Benefits
Death benefits are paid monthly to the immediate surviving family of the deceased worker.
Thus, your payment schedule depends on when you file your workers’ compensation benefits claim and the types of benefits you are trying to claim.
Generally, the longest you might have to wait for benefits could be about five weeks (the seven-day waiting period followed by the first temporary partial disability check 30 days after that).
What if My Workers’ Compensation Benefits Are Delayed?
Most of the time, you should receive workers’ compensation within the time frames we outline above. Still, on a few occasions, something can happen that may delay your payments.
The time frames above for when you should start receiving workers’ compensation payments are based on nothing going wrong with the processing of your claim.
However, circumstances can cause payment of your benefits to be delayed or even denied. For example, the insurance company may want to receive more information about your claim before approving it, or there could be a problem with the claim filing itself.
If your Arizona workers’ comp benefits payments are denied or delayed, you don’t have to accep that. The Matt Fendon Law Group has experienced workers’ compensation lawyers who can explain when you should start receiving your benefit payments and represent you if you need to get them unstuck.If you need help with your workers’ compensation benefits, then call us at (800) 229-3880 to talk with one of our Phoenix workers’ comp specialists or reach out via our contact form.
