Once an injured worker has recovered sufficiently from his or her injuries to begin considering future employment, the workers' compensation law provides for the payment of vocational rehabilitation services by the insurance company. Vocational rehabilitation in your case could mean anything from assistance with drafting a competitive resume and job placement support, to an educational retraining program including university tuition payments. The rules which govern whether an individual employee qualifies for rehabilitation are difficult to summarize. Each application for such benefits is treated individually. Individuals with more serious injuries may not qualify for any services, because their chances are poor for returning successfully to the work force. In addition, one's prior training, education and job skills will play an important role in qualifying for rehabilitation benefits.

 Unfortunately, the rehabilitation process is not always put to proper use by insurance companies. Since insurers typically pay for such services, they have a major influence over what and how services are provided. It is often the case that the only interest of the insurance company is getting you back to work at any job—so that benefits can be stopped. The insurer's goal of getting you back to work as soon as possible may be at odds with your long-term goals and interests. The involvement of an experienced compensation lawyer in such cases is often critical to move the process in a direction which truly serves the interests of the injured employee.

Back to Site Map Page

Go to Home Page