Workers’ Compensation Terms – Part 5 – Other Lingo (Continued)

Remember folks – These additional benefits can affect your workers’ compensation claim in Virginia so if you have applied or even if you are thinking of applying for these benefits, consult your attorney first to prevent any potential problems!

*Please remember these terms are provided to give you a clearer picture of what is going on with your workers’ comp claim, the meanings given in this context are not necessarily the legal definition nor are they the only definition of that term.

SS: Social Security:  “A United States federal program of social insurance and benefits developed in 1935. The Social Security program’s benefits include retirement income, disability income, Medicare and Medicaid, and death and survivorship benefits. Social Security is one of the largest government programs in the world, paying out hundreds of billions of dollars per year.” (source: https://www.investopedia.com).

SSA: Social Security Administration:  An agency of the federal government that administers and regulates benefits paid through Social Security, headquartered in Woodlawn, Maryland.

SSD: Social Security Disability:  A federal program funded through payroll taxes that pays benefits to people who can’t work because they have a medical condition that’s expected to last at least one year or result in death. (source: https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityssi/).

SSI: Supplemental Security Income:  A need based program according to income and assets that provides disability benefits to low-income disabled people who don’t qualify for Social Security in the form of a monthly check.

SSRI: Social Security Retirement Income:  Income based on the average amount of wages earned over a workers’ lifetime that is then paid to them monthly after the worker has reached retirement age.

Medicare: “A U.S. government program of hospitalization insurance and voluntary medical insurance for persons aged 65 and over for certain disabled persons under 65.” (source: https://dictionary.reference.com)

Medicaid: “A U.S. government program, financed by federal, state, and local funds, of hospitalization and medical insurance for persons of all ages with certain income limits.” (source https://dictionary.reference.com/)

Unemployment: “A source of income for workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Workers who quit or are fired are generally not eligible for unemployment insurance. Workers who are self-employed are also not eligible to receive unemployment insurance and must provide their own rainy-day funds to cover times when no work is available.” (source:  https://www.investopedia.com/).

Note: If you can’t work at all, then you cannot receive unemployment benefits. However, if your workers’ compensation claim has been denied and you have light duty restrictions, you may be able to get unemployment benefits. If you have been laid off or your employer is not going to accommodate your light duty restrictions, then you may file for unemployment. However, if your claim is contested and you eventually do win or receive workers’ compensation benefits down the road for the same period for which you received unemployment benefits, you are required to pay the unemployment benefits back to the Virginia Employment Commission.

If you have questions about your benefits or if you would like more information on the Virginia workers’ Compensation system, order my book, “The Ultimate Guide to Workers’ Compensation in Virginia” by clicking this link, or call our office today (804) 755-7755.

~Michele Lewane, Esq.

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