Your life can change in an instant following a workers’ compensation injury. Your priorities and needs can shift, but workers’ compensation is designed to offer protections to workers who face new challenges after an on-the-job injury. You’re probably aware that workers’ compensation offers payments to offset medical bills and to assist with lost wages after a work injury, but you can be compensated for other challenges as well, including necessary improvements to your homestead. In today’s blog, we explain when workers’ compensation may offer compensation for home improvements, and what types of improvements may be allowed following a work injury.
Home Modifications And Workers’ Compensation
As we’ve talked about on the blog in the past, workers’ compensation provides payments for medical treatments that have been deemed relevant and necessary to your recovery efforts following a work injury. The prospect of being compensated for home modifications following an on-the-job injury follows a similar line of thinking.
As it stands, injured workers may receive compensation for expenses related to home modifications that a doctor has recommended as necessary for your recovery or daily function. Additionally, the modifications must be directly related to your injury and be reasonable in cost.
If you are considering making home improvements as a result of your work injury and current limitations, get the recommendation in writing from your treating physician. Next, you’ll want to forward this recommendation to your lawyer and ensure it looks in order prior to moving forward with a home modification.
It’s also important to remember that just because an improvement would make life a little easier doesn’t mean that it is recommended by a physician or approved by workers’ compensation. Sure, you could probably get into your shower with a broken ankle a little easier if you had a walk-in door on your tub, but that doesn’t mean your doctor feels such an improvement is necessary to your recovery. They may offer suggestions as to how to bathe more easily with a broken ankle, but your physical limitation doesn’t mean you have a blank check to make improvements around your home that will certainly be covered by workers’ compensation.
Some types of home modifications that may be deemed medically necessary and be covered by workers’ compensation after an on-the-job injury include:
- Wheel ramps
- Shower grab handles
- Shower doors
- Handrails
- Elevated toilet seats
- Stair lifts
- Widened doorways and entryways
- Kitchen upgrades (countertop height, cabinet handles, etc.)
If you’re facing a very long recovery or you’ll never fully recover from your injuries, connect with a workers’ compensation attorney to see if you can be compensated for home improvements and modifications that have been deemed necessary to your recovery or daily function. Even if we can’t guarantee pre-approval on your improvements, we can make sure all the paperwork is in order so that there is no doubt that you will be compensated once you file a claim for home modification benefits.
For more information about getting compensation for home modifications after a work injury, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
