The Missouri Workers’ Compensation system is a no-fault system that provides medical treatment, lost wages (temporary total disability), and permanent disability to injured workers. While there are other types of benefits available for disfigurement, temporary partial disability, the second injury fund, and more, most injured workers typically receive medical treatment, lost wages, and disability benefits.
Injured workers are entitled to receive medical treatment for work-related injuries. The employer or their insurance carrier will be responsible for paying the bill. Injured workers should not receive any bills for medical treatment approved by the employer or insurer. This means that the employer or insurer gets to select which doctor an injured worker will see. If an injured worker chooses to see a different doctor they may be responsible for paying some or all of the charges from the unauthorized visit.
Injured workers are also entitled to recover lost wages if they are unable to work due to their work-related injury. This type of benefit is called temporary total disability (TTD). Injured workers do not begin to receive TTD for the first three regularly scheduled workdays they are unable to work unless they are unable to work for a total of 14 days or more. TTD payments are equal to two thirds an injured workers average weekly wage. Average weekly wage is computed by multiplying wages earned over the 13 week period prior to the injury and dividing by 13. The Missouri legislature also sets a maximum average weekly wage that will not be exceeded for purposes of determining benefits no matter how much an injured worker made. TTD benefits stop whenever the doctor determines an injured worker can return to work.
Permanent disability is also available to injured Missouri workers. If a doctor determines that medical treatment is no longer necessary for a work related injury even though the worker is not back to 100%, they are entitled to disability benefits. The disability can be partial which means there are permanent physical limitations as a result of the work-related injury. Benefits for permanent partial disability (PPD) are determined by using the average weekly wage discussed above and a formula established by the legislature to determine what dollar amount is appropriate compensation to the injured worker. Injured workers who are no longer able to work as a result of their work-related injury are entitled to receive permanent total disability (PTD) benefits. PTD benefits typically result in weekly checks for the rest of the injured workers life.
