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How long your workers’ compensation benefits will last in Virginia is determined by the severity of your injury, your recovery progress, and your ability to return to work.

Many injured workers ask, “How much could I get if I settle my workers’ comp claim?” Below, we have a chart of settlement amounts that are common in Virginia workers’ comp cases, but bear in mind that these do not predict how much you will actually receive.

You can work a second job while on workers’ comp in Virginia if you meet certain conditions. Let’s break down several scenarios involving secondary jobs and new jobs that show what is possible and what pitfalls to avoid.

In Virginia, it’s illegal for an employer to fire an employee just because that employee has filed a workers’ compensation claim. With this protection, injured workers don’t have to fear losing their job after filing. Despite this, however, employers have been known to fire an employee while they’re disabled and receiving workers’ comp.

This primer on “light duty work” in the Virginia workers’ comp system explains what can be a confusing term. Depending on who’s using the term: a medical professional, an insurance company, an employer, or the worker themselves, light duty work can mean different things.

If you’re receiving workers’ compensation checks but have been medically cleared for light-duty work, you may receive a call from either a nurse case manager (NCM), a vocational rehabilitation counselor (VRC), or both.

A disability rating, also known as an impairment rating, is a number greatly affecting how much workers’ compensation you’ll receive for a permanent partial disability (PPD). Here’s how PPD ratings work in Virginia, described by some real life examples.

Workers’ Compensation is built on rules that are lengthy, detailed, and sometimes hard to understand. But understand we must. That’s why we’ve made this guide. As an employee, you’ll want to read these rules for Virginia to help ensure a successful claim for your job-related injury.

What happens if you suffered an accident on the job, but your work injury coincides with an old injury that wasn’t work-related? The insurance adjuster or employer may try to deny your workers ‘compensation claim, asserting that a pre-existing injury is not compensable.

If you’ve been injured on the job, you may claim benefits from workers’ compensation insurance. However, you may also have heard of short-term disability benefits for employees and are wondering: what is the difference between workers’ comp and short-term disability?