The workers’ compensation system will award you damages for lost wages under certain circumstances. If you qualify, you may wonder how much money you can get.
According to the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission, you will earn less through workers’ compensation lost wage benefits than you would working your job.
General pay
The general rate of pay for lost wages under the workers’ compensation program is two-thirds of your average weekly wage. You cannot earn more than the state average weekly wage with a cap of $1050 in 2021. These stipulations apply for temporary total disability and permanent total disability.
Permanent partial disability
Permanent partial disability is a little different when it comes to the maximum amount of benefits you may receive and the amount. The amount you get is thirty-three and one-third percent of your average weekly wage when the period you will receive benefits is less than 75 weeks. The total benefit cannot be more than 16.7% of the state average weekly wage.
The set cap changes every year. For example, for injuries occurring between January 1, 2020, and January 1, 2021, the maximum cap is $181. For the same time frame from 2021 to 2022, the cap was $176.
Note the details are different for periods over 75 weeks. The maximum cap may vary based on your situation.
When you apply for lost wage benefits, you will usually be able to find out your average weekly wage and the potential amount of benefits you can receive. You should note there is a waiting period to get the benefits as well.