When it comes to work comp laws in Iowa,2017 saw some significant amendments made to the Iowa work comp system. The changes appear to have made it more challenging for Iowa workers to obtain benefits and have lowered the amounts of benefits injured workers are entitled to. To fully understand the difference,a comparison of the old and new law is necessary,usually conducted by a -.

Injured Worker’s Age

One of the main changes involves the amendments regarding an injured worker’s age. Traditionally,the Iowa state work comp system gauged the benefit an injured worker was entitled to based on age. Under the old rules,older workers would receive more benefits that a younger worker with the same injury. The reasoning behind this was that an older worker was more likely to need more recovery time and less likely to be able to get another job; hence older workers were viewed as being at a higher disadvantage level.

Under the new amendments,the injured worker’s earning capacity loss is gauged by how far into the future the individual was likely to continue in their chosen position from the time the injury was sustained.

Earnings Cap

The other main element of change to work comp laws in Iowa involve the earnings potential of the injured worker. Under old Iowa law,an injured worker could receive the industrial disability benefit even if it meant their actual earnings would increase. This was amended so that upon returning to work,the employee can only receive compensation based on their functional impairment rating. This change results in a reduction in the amounts most workers with unscheduled injuries can receive.

Under the new Iowa comp laws,injured workers are at more of a disadvantage than ever before; that is why it is crucial to enlist the help of a- when it comes time to file a claim for benefits.