Jan 26, 2019

What Happens to My Workers’ Comp Benefits If I Go on Vacation?

After putting in hard work on the job day in and day out, we all deserve
a vacation. This also applies to those currently receiving
workers’ compensation benefits.

Just because you are injured doesn’t mean you must stop living your
life. There is nothing in the federal workers’ comp laws which prevents
you from going on vacation, which means you can still receive benefits.
Taking a trip can be therapeutic when dealing with the stress of a workplace injury.

However, there are several things you must keep in mind while you’re
on a trip to avoid losing your benefits:

• Follow the doctor’s orders – In order to receive workers’ compensation benefits, you
  must frequently see your primary care physician, physical therapist, or
  any other health care provider to obtain treatment for your injury. You
  are required to keep your appointments and make each one. If you miss
  an appointment or attempt to reschedule your appointment, you could lose
  your benefits since your case manager will view this type of behavior
  as a failure to comply with treatment. Make sure you will not be missing
  or rescheduling your doctor appointments while you’re away.
• You might be under surveillance – It is not uncommon for insurance companies to hire investigators
  after you file for workers’ compensation. Their job is to look for
  anything which could prove the illegitimacy of your workers’ compensation
  claim. If you happen to go against your medical restrictions by participating
  in high-risk activities or do something which a person who has the same
  injury couldn’t do, then the investigator will notify your employer’s
  insurance provider. On the other hand, if you share any type photos or
  videos of high-risk behavior on your social media accounts, insurance
  companies, and investigators can see this as evidence of disobeying the
  terms of workers’ compensation.
• You must continue to seek employment – If you suffered a serious injury and you can no longer perform
  your regular job duties, you may be required to look for another job in
  order to receive your benefits. If you take a week-long trip and stop
  searching for or didn’t find enough employment opportunities throughout
  your vacation, you may lose your benefits.

If you are planning on taking a vacation soon, our Atlanta workers’
compensation attorney at
Hansford McDaniel – Workers’ Compensation Attorneys can review your situation, determine the risks you face, and devise a
plan to make sure you don’t jeopardize your workers’ comp
benefits. For more information,
contact us and schedule a free consultation today.