The Workers' Compensation Lawyers Des Moines, IA Relies On

At the West Des Moines law firm of Lawyer, Lawyer, Dutton, Drake & Conklin, LLP, we want to answer your questions and help you seek the benefits you need after a workplace injury that occurred in West Des Moines, IA, Des Moines, IA, Ankeny, IA, Waukee, IA or anywhere in the state of Iowa. To get started with our reputable workers' compensation attorneys in Des Moines, IA or nearby areas, be sure to give us a call today.

• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Shoulder injuries
• Heart attack
• Lung injuries
• Severe disability
• On-the-job death cases
• Any other on-the-job injuries

The definitions for these injuries are very broad and include almost any health impairment (heart attacks, diseases, PTSD, abnormal stress, other psychological conditions, etc.). If you have a specific question about an injury you have received, feel free to ask us whether or not it is covered.

Try this quick test: Do you understand the terms healing period? PPD? TPD? Industrial disability? Scheduled member? If not, call us and let us help sort out these issues and explain the terms.

Because each case is different and has many unique features, it is impossible for us to cover all aspects of your individual case in this short website. Please understand this information is not intended to constitute specific advice on your case. You should only rely upon the advice and direction that comes directly from one of our workers' compensation lawyers Des Moines, IA residents trust.

Remember also that the law for workers' comp is different from state to state. What we present here is a brief overview of concepts found in Iowa:

• Amount of weekly benefits – The amount of your weekly check depends on your gross earnings at the time of your injury and the number of tax deductions you would be entitled to if you claim the maximum number of exemptions. This complex math problem defies a simple explanation, and there are lots of loopholes that an insurance company can use to confuse you and cheat you out of your proper weekly pay. Call us and we can check to make sure you are receiving the correct weekly amount of compensation.
• Statute of limitations – The time limits for filing a claim vary, and if you fail to meet the deadline, you will waive your right to any recovery. In some workers' comp cases, the deadline is two years from the date of the injury. In other cases, it can be two years from the date you were last paid weekly benefits. This is very confusing, so feel free to talk with our partners about this potential problem, especially if you have been paid weekly benefits. And remember, having received payment for some medical bills does not mean your time limit is extended.
• Benefits after you return to work – Since many workers do not know their rights, they believe they are no longer entitled to weekly pay benefits once they are able to go back to work. This is not necessarily true. Even if you leave your job, you are still entitled to lifetime medical benefits related to your injury unless you release that right through a settlement. Finally, under certain circumstances, you may be entitled to job retraining benefits if vocational retraining is necessary for continued employment.

• Medical benefits – Your employer's insurance company is required to provide all reasonable medical services, including medical, dental, chiropractic, physical rehabilitation, hospital service, prosthetic device and transportation costs.
• Benefits while you are unable to work – If you were injured on the job to such an extent that you had to take time off to recover, you may be entitled to what is called temporary total disability payments, or healing period payments.
• Benefits for permanent partial disability (PPD) – If you are able to return to work of some kind, but you continue to have some permanent disabling condition, then you may be entitled to permanent partial disability payments. There are two types of permanent partial disabilities in Iowa. One is an injury to a scheduled member such a hand or leg; the other is an injury to the body as a whole (BAW). Permanent disability payments are potentially available even if you have gone back to work or have accepted a different job.
• Death benefits – If your spouse or parent suffered a fatal job-related injury, you may be eligible for death benefits. These benefits are paid to surviving family members who were dependent on the deceased employee.