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- Vermont Wind Turbine Elevators Not Subject to State Inspections12/20/2011
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Six Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Vermont Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Understanding Vermont's many workers' compensation rules and regulations is not exactly easy. It can be tough for an injured worker to know what his or her rights are after a workplace accident, and it can be even tougher to know when your employer or insurance company is giving you complete information.How to get the most out of your Vermont Workers' Comp Claim
To get you started, here are six simple tips you should know regarding your Vermont workers' compensation benefits and rights:
- A late check deserves a penalty: Your insurer can be penalized for not sending your weekly benefits check on time. If your check does arrive late, let the Vermont Department of Labor or your attorney know immediately.
- You can see a doctor while working: Just because you're back at work doesn't mean your body has completely healed. Your insurer is required to pay for doctor and therapy visits as long as the pain is related to the initial work injury. This is true whether or not you have returned to work.
- Drugs are not your expense: Your insurer is also responsible for paying for all prescription drugs related to your injury. You should not have any co-pays or deductibles. You may even arrange for the insurer to pay the pharmacy directly and for the drugs to be delivered directly to your home.
- You have a right to re-train: If you have been out of work for more than 90 days, you should automatically be scheduled for a phone interview with a vocational re-trainer. If you qualify, this may lead to an assignment of a one-on-one vocational counselor to help you explore other suitable jobs or careers that you may be able to work while your body is healing. If you have not received notice of such a meeting, request one from your insurer, or contact the Vermont Department of Labor.
- Partial weeks are just that: There is a detailed formula for calculating your benefits, but the insurers don't always follow it like they should. One common error they make is to round up when counting your partial weeks of work. This lowers your average before-injury wages and decreases your benefits accordingly. Check their math to make sure you are being adequately compensated.
- Your cost of living increases too: If have been disabled for more than one year, you are eligible to receive an annual cost of living increase. This includes an increase in your weekly disability benefits.
For more information on how a dedicated Vermont workers' compensation attorney can help you, please call Chip today at 802-295-7773 or fill out this online contact form.
Charles L. Powell represents injured workers throughout Vermont and is available to speak with injured workers in all Vermont counties and towns including:
Windsor County - Andover, Baltimore, Barnard, Bethel, Bridgewater, Cavendish, Chester, Chester Depot, Hartford, White River Junction, Wilder, Hartland, Ludlow, Ludlow Village, Norwich, Plymouth, Pomfret, Reading, Rochester, Royalton, Sharon, Springfield, Stockbridge, Weathersfield, Perkinsville, West Windsor, Weston, Windsor, Woodstock and Woodstock Village
Windham County - Athens, Brattleboro, West Brattleboro, Brookline, Dover, Dummerston, Grafton, Guilford, Algiers, Halifax, Jamaica, Londonderry, Marlboro, Newfane, Newfane Village, Putney, Rockingham, Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Somerset, Stratton, Townshend, Harmonyville, West Townshend, Vernon, Wardsboro, Westminster, North Westminster, Whitingham, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Windham and South Windham
Orange County - Bradford, Braintree, Brookfield, Chelsea, Corinth, Fairlee, Newbury, Orange, Randolph, Strafford, Thetford, Topsham, Tunbridge, Vershire, Washington, West Fairlee and Williamstown
Washington County - Barre, Websterville, Berlin, Cabot, Cabot Village, Calais, Duxbury, East Montpelier, Fayston, Marshfield, Marshfield Village, Middlesex, Montpelier, Moretown, Northfield, Northfield Village, Plainfield, Roxbury, Waitsfield, Warren, Waterbury, Waterbury Village, Woodbury and Worcester
Caledonia County - Barnet, Burke, West Burke, Danville, Groton, Hardwick, East Hardwick, Mackville, Kirby, Lyndon, Lyndonville, Lyndon Center, East Lyndon, Newark, Peacham, Ryegate, South Ryegate, East Ryegate, Center Ryegate, Sheffield, St. Johnsbury, St. Johnsbury Center, Stannard, Sutton, Walden, Waterford and Wheelock
Chittenden County - Bolton, Burlington, Charlotte, Colchester, Essex, Essex Junction, Hinesburg, Huntington, Jericho, Milton, Richmond, Shelburne, South Burlington, St. George, Underhill, Westford, Williston and Winooski.
Windsor County - Andover, Baltimore, Barnard, Bethel, Bridgewater, Cavendish, Chester, Chester Depot, Hartford, White River Junction, Wilder, Hartland, Ludlow, Ludlow Village, Norwich, Plymouth, Pomfret, Reading, Rochester, Royalton, Sharon, Springfield, Stockbridge, Weathersfield, Perkinsville, West Windsor, Weston, Windsor, Woodstock and Woodstock Village
Windham County - Athens, Brattleboro, West Brattleboro, Brookline, Dover, Dummerston, Grafton, Guilford, Algiers, Halifax, Jamaica, Londonderry, Marlboro, Newfane, Newfane Village, Putney, Rockingham, Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Somerset, Stratton, Townshend, Harmonyville, West Townshend, Vernon, Wardsboro, Westminster, North Westminster, Whitingham, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Windham and South Windham
Orange County - Bradford, Braintree, Brookfield, Chelsea, Corinth, Fairlee, Newbury, Orange, Randolph, Strafford, Thetford, Topsham, Tunbridge, Vershire, Washington, West Fairlee and Williamstown
Washington County - Barre, Websterville, Berlin, Cabot, Cabot Village, Calais, Duxbury, East Montpelier, Fayston, Marshfield, Marshfield Village, Middlesex, Montpelier, Moretown, Northfield, Northfield Village, Plainfield, Roxbury, Waitsfield, Warren, Waterbury, Waterbury Village, Woodbury and Worcester
Caledonia County - Barnet, Burke, West Burke, Danville, Groton, Hardwick, East Hardwick, Mackville, Kirby, Lyndon, Lyndonville, Lyndon Center, East Lyndon, Newark, Peacham, Ryegate, South Ryegate, East Ryegate, Center Ryegate, Sheffield, St. Johnsbury, St. Johnsbury Center, Stannard, Sutton, Walden, Waterford and Wheelock
Chittenden County - Bolton, Burlington, Charlotte, Colchester, Essex, Essex Junction, Hinesburg, Huntington, Jericho, Milton, Richmond, Shelburne, South Burlington, St. George, Underhill, Westford, Williston and Winooski.
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White River Junction, VT 05001
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Testimonials
- Thank you Charles , so much for helping me through the hardest time in my life . I had no fight in me and you did it for me while being patient, compassionate and looking out for me , for my benefit .
I'm in such a better place now , Thanks to you and your staff . Your staff are so wonderful , a joy to work with , just really GREAT PEOPLE !!
I Thank You , to all of you . THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING .
Thank you , Tammy Kemp - I can go on and on regarding how great this place is. Chip and his associates made this whole workers’ compensation time in my life a lot easier... (Joseph Scroggins)
- I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff for the superb representation and moral support I received during my case.
- I retained the legal services of Charles Powell to represent myself when it came to workman’s compensation and issues that I had to deal with during my recovery.