Attorneys
Last Updated: 5/4/2023
The Iowa workers’ compensation program provides healing period benefits to Iowa workers who suffer injuries while on the job. These benefits are paid to a worker during the period of recuperation, after he suffered a workplace injury resulting in disability.
An injured employee is eligible for healing period benefits for a possibly permanent impairment, beginning on the first day of the impairment after the date of the injury. There is no waiting period for employees to become eligible for these benefits. If you have not yet begun to receive healing period benefits after your injury, speak to a workers’ compensation attorney at Walker, Billingsley & Bair for help recovering the benefits available to you.
How long will the healing period benefits continue?
Iowa workers' compensation healing period benefits will continue until one of the following situations occurs.
- The employee returns to work.
- The employee recovers significantly enough to the extent that s/he is medically capable of returning to a job that is very similar to the job that s/he was performing at the time of the injury.
- The doctor does not expect to experience any more significant improvement in condition after the injury, or in other words, the patient has reached a state of maximum medical improvement.
What kinds of payments are included in healing period benefits?
Healing benefits are paid while the person is in recuperation following an injury that will produce permanent impairment. These benefits are not deducted from the permanent partial disability benefits that an injured worker may later receive.
The minimum weekly healing period benefits payable to a worker is equal to the lesser of the following.
- Weekly benefit amount of a worker whose gross weekly earnings are 35 percent of statewide average weekly wages
- Spendable weekly earnings of employee
A lawyer can help ensure you receive the benefits to which you're entitled under Iowa workers' compensation law.
When would I be considered ineligible for healing period benefits?
A person is not eligible for healing period benefits when one returns to employment. Further, one is ineligible for benefits if refusing to accept suitable work. Make sure you speak with a lawyer before taking any action that might jeopardize your benefits.
Healing period benefits can help compensate a worker during the period when unable to return to work after an injury and has not yet started to receive permanent partial disability. These are the days when a worker may be most financially vulnerable because he's unable to return to work and may entirely depend on disability payments for his living expenses.
If you have suffered a workplace injury in Iowa, discuss your case with a workers’ compensation attorney at Walker, Billingsley & Bair. Call (515) 440-2852 to speak to an attorney at our firm and determine what type of benefits for which you are eligible. You could alternatively set up your consultation by filling out our online contact form.
