The Kentucky worker's compensation law sets out the benefits you get when injured on the job. It basically pays for lost wages and medical treatment made necessary by your work-related injury.
There is a formula in the law that determines how much money you get per week for a permanent "partial" disability. The most important part of the formula is the "impairment rating". The impairment rating is determined by doctors, using a big book put out by the AMA (American Medical Association) called the Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment.
The Kentucky system has been using the 5th Edition of the AMA Guides for years. Recently the AMA came out with a 6th Edition, but the lawyers who represent injured workers smelled a rat. It turned out that the new edition would have slashed percentage ratings on many common work injuries! This means that money benefits for injured workers would be slashed!
So a group of concerned people worked hard and convinced the KY Legislature to pass a bill keeping the 5th Edition permanently. This bill should become law very soon. It maintains current benefit levels, and keeps injured workers from financially sinking even farther in their time of need.
Worker's Comp benefits are "stingy" enough as it is. So it's great news that the 5th Edition AMA Guides have been made permanent!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
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