How Long Does It Take To Get a SLU Award?
If you’ve suffered a work-related injury that resulted in a permanent impairment to a specific body part, you may be eligible for a Schedule Loss of Use (SLU) Award. But how long does it take to get a SLU award? For many injured workers, this question is vital to planning their recovery and financial future.
SLU awards give workers who’ve reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) a way to get on with their lives after a permanent loss of function in an injured body part. But there are a lot of different steps in the process. These include medical evaluations, legal procedures, submitted to a workers compensation board for review that all add to the time of the process.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about SLU awards, from the factors influencing how long it takes to receive one to the steps you can take to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. Whether you’re dealing with loss of use awards, calculating weeks of benefits, or considering a lump sum payment, we’ll help you understand the path to securing the benefits you deserve.
What Is a Schedule Loss of Use (SLU) Award?
A Schedule Loss of Use (SLU) Award is a type of workers’ compensation benefit designed to provide financial compensation for permanent impairment to a specific body part resulting from a work-related injury.
In such cases, you are entitled to these awards when a medical professional determines that an injured part of the body has attained its maximum medical improvement and will not recover any additional functioning, resulting in a permanent loss of the body part used. The SLU awards reflect the permanent impact an injury has on a man’s ability to work and are meant to assist workers in dealing with a financial burden related to their physical limitations.
For example, if a job injury in a covered body part, such as a hand, arm, leg or other hand causes loss of function, the injured worker may receive an SLU award.
The amount of compensation is determined by several factors. They include, the degree of the permanent impairment, the body part affected, and the state’s rules regarding the maximum number of weeks an injured employee can be paid while receiving care for an injury. The permanency element in this award creates a safety net so that a worker with a permanent impairment is not shelled if they cannot return to work.
When Can You Apply for an SLU Award?
Before applying for a Schedule Loss of Use (SLU) Award, you must have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). This means your injured body part has healed as much as it is likely to, and further treatment will not significantly improve your condition.
Once MMI is reached, a medical professional determines the level of permanent impairment and loss of function of the impaired body part. This is an important evaluation in helping us determine whether you qualify to receive an SLU award. It also helps determine what amount you may receive.
Filing too early will slow the process or end in disputes as to the extent of your impairment when you are unable to show that you reached MMI or have not yet recovered to MMI point. To successfully file your claim you must have thorough and up to date medical reports.
How Tomack Law, PLLC Can Help You
Navigating the process of obtaining a Schedule Loss of Use (SLU) Award can be overwhelming. It’s especially difficult when dealing with medical evaluations, legal filings, and workers’ compensation board reviews. At Tomack Law, PLLC, our New York Workers Compensation Attorney’s specialize in helping injured workers secure the benefits they deserve. From compiling medical documentation, to calculating the right number of weeks of benefit according to your loss of function, our experienced team will be with you every step of the way.
If you’re facing a disputed claim, need representation, or are contemplating a lump sum payment, we’re ready to get your case settled as quickly and efficiently as possible. Remember, this is a complex system and you don’t need to waste that time before you’re getting paid. Connect with Tomack Law, PLLC today to get the one–on–one legal help you deserve.