How Long Can I Receive Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Iowa?

Do You Qualify for Workers’ Comp? Here’s How Long It Lasts in Iowa

Recovering from a work injury can be difficult and stressful. The last thing you should have to worry about is how long your workers’ compensation benefits will last – or whether they will be enough. 

In Iowa, the duration of a worker’s benefits will be different for everyone. It could range from a few days to the rest of your life. This is why it’s helpful to know what benefits you can expect to receive, how long you could receive them, and key milestones to expect along the way.

The team at Schott Mauss & Associates knows this process can be confusing. That’s why our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys strive to make it as simple as possible. 

Here’s what you need to know about the process for determining the length of your workers’ compensation benefits in Iowa.

Key Takeaways:

• While some states place caps on the length of time an injured employee can receive certain workers’ compensation benefits, there is no standard limit in Iowa. 
• Instead, the length of benefits will depend on the severity of the injury, the length of medical care required, and how soon you can resume your work duties. 
• You may receive different types of workers’ compensation benefits during the course of your injury, so the length of each will vary.

Here is a closer look at how the process works. 

Understanding the Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits

First, it’s important to know the types of workers’ compensation benefits you may receive. Workers’ compensation benefits available to employees in Iowa include the following: 

Medical Treatment

• What it covers: This fully covers medical expenses related to the work injury or illness. Your employer will generally choose what care you receive, although you can request alternate care if it is not enough. 
• How long it lasts: This benefit will last as long as treatment is needed for your condition. Even if you are no longer receiving other benefits, you can continue to receive medical treatment if you continue to be in pain.

Mileage & Lost Wages

• What it covers: This fully covers travel costs to and from medical appointments related to the injury. In some cases, you may also receive payment for wages you have lost due to time off for medical appointments. 
• How long it lasts: This extends for the length of time you need to travel for injury-related care.

Temporary Disability

• What it covers: If your injury causes you to miss time at work, lose hours, or work a lower-paying job, you can receive compensation for a portion of your lost wages. These benefits come as either temporary partial disability (TPD) or temporary total disability (TTD). 
• How long it lasts: The length of your benefits will depend on how long it takes you to recover and when you are able to fully return to work.

Permanent Disability

• What it covers: If your injury results in permanent impairment, you may receive ongoing compensation for a portion of your lost wages. These benefits come as either permanent partial disability (PPD) or permanent total disability (PTD). The length and amount is based on the severity of your disability. 
• How long it lasts: The length of your weekly payments can vary widely based on whether your condition is temporary or permanent, and to what extent it affects your ability to work.

How Long Can I Receive Temporary Disability Benefits?

If you are severely injured in the workplace, you may not be able to immediately return to work at the same level you were before. Your recovery may require your employer to accommodate you with reduced hours, time off, or modified duties. In these cases, temporary disability benefits will help make up for a portion of the wages you would receive. 

Temporary disability benefits come in one of two forms:

• Temporary Partial Disability (TPD): You are still able to perform some work but are not able to work at the same number of hours or pay as before. These payments are generally equal to two-thirds of the difference between your previous income and your income while on work-related restrictions.
• Temporary Total Disability (TTD): Benefits for when you must miss four or more days due to your injury. You could also receive TTD if your employer is not able to provide alternate work that accommodates your injury. These payments are generally 80% of your previous earnings (after taxes).  

Both types of temporary disability benefits, TPD and TTD, continue until you are able to return to work or the doctor providing your care decides you have plateaued in your recovery and are not expected to improve further. At this point, known as “maximum medical improvement,” you will either return to work or qualify for permanent disability benefits. 

How Long Can You Receive Permanent Disability Benefits?

Permanent disability benefits offer financial help when you have suffered an injury that will keep you from returning to work at the same level for an extended period of time. 

Permanent disability benefits are weekly benefits equal to 80% of your previous earnings, after taxes. They could include one of two types:

• Permanent Partial Disability (PPD): These benefits help you if you can still work but are not able to earn as much as before due to the effects of your injuries. These payments will continue for a set length of time that depends on what part of your body was injured and how severe the injury is. 
• Permanent Total Disability (PTD): These benefits help you if your injury continues to prevent you from performing any work. If you are permanently unable to return to work because of your injury, you could receive weekly disability payments for the rest of your life.

The process for determining the length and amount of these benefits can be complex, and we recommend working with an experienced attorney to help navigate the process. 

Here is a brief overview of the process for determining how much you could receive for permanent partial disability benefits. 

Determining Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Benefits:

When you hit maximum medical improvement, meaning your recovery has plateaued, you will generally be evaluated by a doctor to receive what is known as a permanent impairment rating. This rating describes to what extent you have lost the use of part of your body (such as a leg or a finger) due to the injury. This rating will be used to determine how long you will receive compensation. 

For example, the full loss of a thumb will give you a maximum of 60 weeks of permanent disability benefits. If a doctor assigns you a permanent impairment rating of 50%, meaning you have lost half the use of your thumb, then you would receive half of that maximum, or 30 weeks of payment. 

Iowa workers don’t need to simply accept their permanent impairment rating or their final payout of permanent partial disability benefits. It’s helpful to work with a trusted workers’ compensation attorney to ensure you are getting what you deserve. It may be helpful to request an independent medical evaluation to get another opinion on how much you deserve to receive. 

Navigating the Workers’ Compensation Process Can Be Tricky. Don’t Do It Alone.

At every stage of the process, you don’t have to simply take what your employer’s insurance gives you if it doesn’t seem right. At Schott Mauss & Associates, we work to empower Iowans to have more of a say in their recovery from an injury. Not sure where to start? Give us a call today and we’ll walk you through the process.