One of your carpenters slips while carrying sheets of plywood. He lands hard, breaks his wrist, and can’t use his tools for weeks. You’ve got the job to finish, but your first concern is getting him the care he needs. Then come the questions about the bills and his pay. What does workers’ comp pay for after an injury like this?
At Contractors Liability Insurance, we help builders and trade businesses understand the cover they need for their crews. We know that a jobsite injury can leave workers worried about their income, even after the first trip to the hospital. For an employer, it can be hard to tell which costs workers’ comp will pay and which costs the business must still handle.
Workers’ comp may replace part of a worker’s wages, pay for care during recovery, and provide benefits for lasting injuries. We’ll walk through each type of payment, look at injuries such as losing a finger, and explain what to do when someone gets hurt on site.
What Does Workers Comp Pay for After a Jobsite Injury?
Workers’ compensation can pay for medical care, lost wages, and other benefits after a covered work injury or illness. Here’s what an injured construction worker may receive:
- Medical expenses: Doctor visits, surgery, medication, and physical therapy needed to treat the injury.
- Lost wages: Part of the worker’s income if they’re unable to work or earn less while recovering.
- Disability benefits: Payments for lasting injuries that affect the worker’s ability to do their job.
- Rehabilitation: Help with recovery and, in some states, training for a different type of work.
- Death benefits: Payments to eligible family members if a worker dies from a covered injury. Funeral costs may also be covered.
The amount and length of these benefits vary by state. The worker must qualify for coverage, and the injury must be work-related. Medical care may still be covered if the worker doesn’t miss enough time to qualify for lost-wage payments.
What Does Workers Comp Cover During Recovery?
After a covered accident, workers’ comp can help with the costs linked to treatment and time away from work. These benefits serve different needs, so it helps to look at them one at a time.
Medical Bills and Treatment
Say a plumber slips from a ladder and breaks an ankle. The injury may need an X-ray, a cast, and several follow-up visits. If the claim is accepted, workers’ comp can pay for the medical care needed to treat that injury. Surgery, medicine, physical therapy, and other approved care may be included too.
Medical benefits are not normally set as a fixed cash sum paid to the worker. The insurer or claims handler pays for eligible care under the state’s rules. The worker may need to use an approved doctor or follow set steps to get certain treatment. A covered injury can qualify for medical care even when the worker returns to the job right away.
Lost Wages While the Worker Heals
A roofer with a broken leg may be unable to climb or carry materials for several weeks. Workers’ comp can replace part of the wages lost during that time. These payments are often called temporary disability or temporary income benefits. They are based on the worker’s earnings and the rules in the state that governs the claim.
Workers’ comp usually pays less than a full paycheck. For example:
- New York’s wage rules use two-thirds of average weekly wages, adjusted for the level of disability and a weekly cap.
- Texas uses 70% of the gap between past weekly wages and what the worker can earn after the injury. Other limits may apply. These are state examples, not national rates.
Wage benefits can have a waiting period too. In New York, the first seven days aren’t paid unless the disability lasts more than 14 days. Medical care can still be covered during a short absence.
Rehabilitation and Help Returning to Work
Recovery doesn’t always end when the cast comes off. A worker may need therapy to regain strength or movement before using heavy tools again. Workers’ comp can pay for approved rehab linked to the covered injury.
If someone can’t return to their old trade, some state systems offer help with new job skills or training. For example, an injured concrete worker with lasting limits on lifting may need to move into a less physical role. The type of support and who qualifies vary by state.
Benefits After a Fatal Injury
If a worker dies because of a covered job injury, workers’ comp may pay benefits to an eligible spouse, children, or other dependents. It may also help with funeral or burial costs, within the state’s limits.
These payments follow state rules on who qualifies and how much they receive. The insurer won’t simply pay a set amount to any family member who makes a claim.
How Much of an Injured Worker’s Pay Does Workers Comp Replace?
There isn’t one wage payment rate for all US jobsites. A state’s rules can set the share of wages paid, when benefits begin, and how long they can last. The worker’s earnings before the injury also play a part.
When a Worker Can’t Do Their Usual Job
A carpenter who can’t work at all while a broken arm heals may qualify for temporary total disability payments. Those are meant to replace some earnings during recovery, up to state limits.
For a simple example, two-thirds of $900 in weekly wages is $600. But that isn’t a promise of a $600 check. Your state may use a different rate or apply a cap. How much the worker can still earn may affect the payment too.
When a Worker Comes Back on Light Duty
A contractor with a shoulder injury may be cleared to do fewer hours or lighter tasks, but can’t yet return to full pay. Some states offer temporary partial benefits when an injury leads to lower earnings during recovery. The amount can be based on the gap between past wages and current pay.
A doctor’s work limits are important here. If your worker can handle estimates or site records but can’t lift safely, a safe return-to-work plan may help them stay involved. You should still follow the claims handler’s advice about wages and benefits.
What Does Workers Comp Pay for Different Types of Injuries?
The type of injury can affect the treatment a worker needs, how long they’re off work, and what benefits they receive. Workers’ comp may also pay for lasting damage after the first stage of recovery.
Here’s how coverage may apply to common construction injuries.
| Jobsite Injury | What Workers’ Comp May Pay For |
| Falls and broken bones | Surgery, medical care, physical therapy, and part of the worker’s lost wages. Lasting damage may qualify for disability benefits. |
| Back injuries | Treatment, rehab, and lost wages if the worker can’t do their usual job. Long-term injuries may qualify for more benefits. |
| Burns and tool injuries | Emergency care, surgery, and follow-up treatment. Serious burns or injuries that cause lasting damage may also qualify for permanent disability benefits. |
| Loss of a finger | Medical care, surgery, lost wages during recovery, and possible payments for permanent loss of function. |
These benefits apply to covered work injuries. The amount paid follows state law, and two workers with similar injuries may receive different payments.
What Does Workers Comp Pay for Loss of Finger?
Workers’ comp can pay for medical treatment, lost wages, and permanent disability benefits after a covered finger injury. The payout can vary based on which finger was hurt, how much function was lost, and the worker’s wages.
Some states use a set schedule to work out payments for permanent injuries. For example, the New York Workers’ Compensation Board allows up to 46 weeks of benefits for the permanent loss of use of an index finger.
Here’s how different loss-of-use ratings could affect the payout, using an example weekly benefit of $600.
| Permanent Loss of Use | Weeks of Benefits | Gross Award |
| 25% | 11.5 weeks | $6,900 |
| 50% | 23 weeks | $13,800 |
| 100% | 46 weeks | $27,600 |
These are examples based on New York rules, not fixed payouts across the US.
A medical review helps set the loss-of-use rating, and the final award follows state law. Any temporary benefits already paid are deducted from the award. Other deductions may apply too.
A worker who loses part of a fingertip may receive a different payout from someone who loses the whole finger. The same applies to injuries that reduce movement without causing an amputation.
What Doesn’t Workers Comp Pay for?
Workers’ comp is meant to cover work-related injuries for eligible workers. It doesn’t pay for every cost linked to an accident, and some costs remain with the business.
Pain and Suffering or Full Wages
Workers’ comp doesn’t normally pay separate damages for pain and suffering like a personal injury lawsuit might. Its wage benefits also tend to replace only part of the income lost. A worker’s regular household bills don’t become covered costs simply because they can’t work.
If a claim leads to a dispute or another party may have caused the injury, different legal rules can apply. Workers’ comp benefits and any separate legal claim should not be treated as the same thing.
Injuries Outside Work or to People Who Aren’t Covered
An injury with no link to work won’t normally qualify. Deliberate self-injury and some other cases may fall outside state rules. Each claim must be judged on its facts. Workers’ comp also doesn’t pay to hire a replacement worker or make up a contractor’s lost profit.
Don’t assume everyone on site is covered under your policy. An owner who’s excluded may not receive benefits, and a subcontractor’s status needs to be checked under state law. Our guide to workers’ comp ghost policies versus standard cover explains why having a certificate doesn’t always mean the person doing the work is covered.
What Should a Contractor Do After a Jobsite Injury?
After someone is hurt, a clear response can help the worker get care and prevent delays with the claim. The steps below are a good place to start, but follow your state’s reporting rules and your insurer’s process.
Step 1 – Get Help and Record What Happened
Get urgent medical help first. Once it’s safe, record when and where the injury happened and what work the person was doing. Keep the facts clear, and don’t put off reporting a serious injury while you try to work out who was at fault.
Step 2 – Tell the Insurer and Follow State Deadlines
Report the injury to your insurer or claims handler as soon as you can. Give the worker the forms and claim details required in your state. Keep copies of reports and any notes from the doctor about time off work. Missing a deadline may delay a claim or affect benefits.
Step 3 – Plan for a Safe Return
Stay in touch with the worker about any limits set by their doctor. If they can return on light duty, make sure the tasks fit those limits. Tell the claims handler about any change in pay. Don’t rush someone back into work that could cause more harm.
If you haven’t arranged coverage for everyone who needs it, our article on working without workers’ comp as a contractor explains the risks. You can also check our workers’ compensation guide for contractors for more on the coverage itself.
Know What Your Crew Can Claim Before Someone Gets Hurt
So, what does workers’ comp pay for after a jobsite injury? We’ve covered the main benefits: medical treatment, part of the worker’s lost wages, and possible payments for lasting injuries. The amount follows the worker’s injury and the state’s rules, so even a serious accident won’t lead to the same payout everywhere.
Before your next project starts, check that the people working for you are covered and know how to report an injury. It’s far easier to review the policy now than work through questions about missing coverage after an accident.
At Contractors Liability Insurance, we help builders and trade businesses understand workers compensation benefits and compare policies for their crews. If you need help checking your policy, talk to our team before the next job begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does workers’ comp pay medical bills if no work is missed?
Yes, it can. If the injury is covered, a worker may receive needed medical care even when they don’t miss enough time to qualify for wage benefits. State treatment rules still apply.
What does workers’ comp pay for if a worker can only do light duty?
It may pay for approved treatment and some lost wages if the worker earns less during recovery. The amount and length of those payments follow state law and the worker’s medical limits.
Does workers’ comp pay the full cost of a permanent injury?
Not always. A permanent disability award follows state rules and medical findings. It may not replace all lost future earnings or cover every cost linked to the injury.
How long does workers’ comp pay after an injury?
Medical care and wage payments can run on different schedules. Wage benefits may stop when the worker recovers, reaches a legal limit, or no longer qualifies. Some lasting injuries can lead to longer-term benefits.
