Between adhering to filing deadlines and trying to determine the true value of your claim, trying to figure out the intricacies of your workers compensation case can be tough on your own. You’re bound to have plenty of questions. For example, do you know what a schedule loss of use (SLU) award is and how it might affect your workers compensation claim?
The team at Finkelstein, Meirowitz & Eidlisz, LLP understands that you may be confused about what SLU awards are and how they pertain to your case. To help you better understand this aspect of workers compensation law, our attorneys have put together the following guide.
SLU Awards in Workers Compensation Claims
Schedule loss of use awards are cash payments issued after a workplace accident victim has suffered injuries to a certain body part that are so severe that the victim can no longer use that body part as he or she once did.
Put more simply, SLU awards are available for those who have sustained a permanent disability due to their workplace accident.
Which Injuries Make You Eligible for SLU Awards?
Typically, those who have sustained permanent damage to their arms, legs, hands, or feet, as well as sensory damage, may recover these types of continuous benefits with the help of a workers comp attorney from our firm.
How to Obtain SLU Awards
To receive a SLU award, you and your workers comp attorney must first obtain a professional medical analysis and diagnosis from a doctor. Once the doctor has determined that your injury will permanently alter the way you are able to use the affected area, he or she will determine the percentage by which your usage has decreased.
This percentage plays an important role in determining how much money you will be awarded each month. Each affected area is worth a set number of weeks of pay. So, for example, if your doctor determines your injury has decreased your use of your arm by 50 percent, you will receive 50 percent of the maximum number of weeks allotted to that particular injury.
Your SLU award payments will consist of two-thirds of your weekly wage.
Find Out If You’re Eligible
If you believe you’re eligible to recover schedule loss of use benefits, the attorneys at Finkelstein, Meirowitz & Eidlisz, LLP are here for you.
Get in touch with us to find out which steps you can take to obtain these damages. For more information, give us a call today at 212-385-9190 or fill out our online contact form below.