| Every job carries some risk of occupational injury | | | | a projection of how well you will be able to |
| or illness. Office jobs expose workers to | | | | function without the lost limb or member. After |
| conditions that arise as a product of eye strain, | | | | this evaluation has been performed, your claim for |
| and hours of typing each day can lead to a painful | | | | disability will be reviewed based on a disability |
| bout with carpal tunnel syndrome. These injuries, | | | | rating given in the course of your earlier medical |
| however, can likely be treated and cured by | | | | visits. |
| medical treatment and cautious recuperation. | | | | For example, it may be determined that you still |
| Amputation injuries or the loss of use of all or | | | | have 70 % use of a finger on which you lost the |
| part of a limb or member are a different story | | | | tip, so you would be eligible for compensation |
| altogether. | | | | based on that rate. The rate of compensation is |
| Though there have been significant advances in | | | | informed by an injured employee's average |
| prosthetic design and functionality, loss of use | | | | weekly wage for the preceding year, and the |
| injuries are still likely to render an employee unable | | | | resulting compensation is to be distributed |
| to work in his or her chosen field for a substantial | | | | pursuant to a legislatively enacted schedule for, in |
| length of time. The workers' compensation and | | | | this case, 30 % of the maximum time allotted for |
| Social Security Disability systems have | | | | benefit payments by law. Some maximum lengths |
| mechanisms in place to assist these workers and | | | | of compensation for total loss of use injuries are: |
| their families as they adapt to the radical changes, | | | | Loss of thumb - 60 weeks |
| new physical demands, emotional strain, and | | | | Loss of hand - 190 weeks |
| financial distress that often accompany such a | | | | Loss of arm - 250 weeks |
| devastating occupational injury. | | | | Loss of great toe - 40 weeks |
| How Compensation is Decided | | | | Loss of foot - 150 weeks |
| The compensation for loss of use injuries in Iowa | | | | Loss of leg - 220 weeks |
| is determined primarily through two separate | | | | A Successful Disability Claim |
| steps. The first step occurs during the medical | | | | To avoid getting caught up in the net of red tape |
| evaluations that follow a workplace accident. A | | | | attached to the filing of a disability claim, it is |
| physician will conduct an independent assessment | | | | strongly advisable to consult with an experienced |
| of the extent of the physical damage that you | | | | attorney. |
| have sustained and the prospect of recovery or | | | | |