If you are injured on the job, you should receive workers' compensation. This is a special type of insurance, taken out by your employer, to provide money for employees who are hurt at work and can no longer perform their usual duties. In some cases, you may be further along in your career when you are injured, with retirement already on the horizon. You may also consider retiring early as a result of your injuries. Find out how retirement could impact your workers’ comp below.

How Will Retirement Impact Your Workers' Compensation?

What does workers’ compensation cover?

Workers' compensation doesn’t just cover immediate medical bills and lost wages; it can also provide benefits for future lost wages and permanent disability. Temporary disability benefits are paid while you are healing, while permanent disability benefits are paid long-term.

Will retirement end your workers' compensation benefits?

If you were forced to retire as a result of your injuries, your retirement shouldn't impact your benefits. Undergo a medical exam to determine whether you have any permanent disability that will restrict your ability to work. If you can’t perform the same job and your employer can’t offer you a similar role, you can claim that injury forced you into early retirement.

What about cases of voluntary retirement?

If you voluntarily retire from the workforce, your employer can file to end workers' compensation. That said, the employer must prove that you are no longer searching for work and have definitively removed yourself from the workforce. For example, if you can still work, just in a more limited capacity, and are job hunting, you are still active in the workforce.

What if you accept retirement benefits like a pension?

Just because you are collecting a pension doesn't automatically mean you are considered voluntarily retired. Note, however, that any income you get from benefits like Social Security will mean you get less money from workers' compensation as a result.

Workers' compensation cases can get complicated, so contact the experts at Vincent J. Criscuolo & Associates of Rochester, NY, to guide you through the process. This law firm fights for the rights of disabled and injured workers. Their offices are ideally situated above the Worker's Compensation Board Hearing Chambers. They accept walk-ins and offer an initial consultation for free. Visit their website to learn more about their workers’ compensation experience and call (585) 232-3240 for an appointment with an attorney.