Are Workers’ Compensation Settlements Determined by FCE?

If you’ve been hurt in a workplace incident, you may be required to take a Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE). An FCE test will measure your physical ability and help your doctor determine if you’ve recovered enough to return to work. Part of your workers’ compensation settlement may also be determined by your FCE test results.

While there are several elements that will impact how much you receive from a claim, an FCE test can play a major role in determining your overall settlement. That said, calculating exactly how much you should receive from a claim can be confusing. Luckily, the Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyers at John Foy & Associates are here to simplify the process.

We can explain how your FCE test may affect your settlement and ensure you receive the correct amount of compensation.

How an FCE Can Determine Your Settlement Value

There are several ways that an FCE test can impact the settlement you receive from a workers’ compensation claim. Understanding how your test results may affect your claim can give you an idea of how much compensation you can expect to receive. Here’s how your FCE test can determine your workers’ compensation settlement:

Recovery Progress

When a medical professional administers your FCE test, they’ll ask you to perform a series of different physical exercises designed to test your range of motion, strength, dexterity, ability to carry heavy objects, and perform other tasks. 

Based on your performance, the medical professional will determine if you’ve recovered enough to return to work safely. If you are deemed unable to perform your workplace duties, you’ll likely be eligible to receive weekly payments to make up for your lack of income.

An experienced attorney can use your FCE test results and your past paychecks to obtain the correct amount of compensation for you. With their help, you’ll have an excellent chance of receiving the money you need to support yourself while you recover from your injury.

Disability

An FCE test can also determine how much you receive from a workers’ compensation settlement because it will provide information regarding the extent of your disability. Depending on how you perform during your test, you could be eligible to receive any of the following forms of disability compensation from a workers’ comp claim:

• Permanent partial disability benefits 
• Permanent total disability benefits
• Temporary total disability benefits
• Temporary partial disability benefits

Future Earning Capacity

When you go to take your FCE test, you’ll need to provide the medical professional with a list of the duties you perform at work. This list will help them determine which workplace duties you are able to perform and which ones you are restricted from participating in.

If you are deemed unable to participate in a significant amount of workplace activities, it could impact your future earning capacity. If that’s the case, you may receive workers’ compensation benefits to make up for your future financial losses. 

Calculating exactly how much you’re owed for future income loss can be difficult. Fortunately, an attorney can work with medical and vocational experts to figure out exactly how much compensation you should receive. They’ll explain how your FCE test determines your workers’ compensation settlement and fight for the payment you deserve. 

Other Factors That Determine Your Workers’ Compensation Settlement

It’s important to note that your FCE test isn’t the only factor that will determine the value of your workers’ compensation settlement. The amount of money you receive from a claim will also be affected by the injuries you’ve suffered and the medical treatment you’ve undergone.

Since workers’ comp settlements also provide money to help cover your medical bills, the treatments, emergency medical care, physical therapy, medications, and assistive devices you’ve required will also play a part in determining your settlement.

How an Attorney Can Help With Your Workers’ Comp Claim

As mentioned above, there are several actions an attorney can take to ensure you get the workers’ compensation settlement you need to aid your recovery. In addition to providing important information about your FCE test and using your results to obtain ample benefits, an attorney can also take the following steps on your behalf:

• Investigate your workplace accident
• Build a strong claim
• Calculate how much you should receive from a settlement
• File an appeal if your claim is denied
• Guide you through the claims process
• Tell you what to expect from an FCE test
• Ensure your claim is filed within Georgia’s statute of limitations

Meet With a Workers’ Comp Attorney for Free

An attorney can explain in further detail how your FCE test will determine your workers’ compensation settlement. They’ll also answer any other questions you have about the claims process and calculate how much money you should receive from workers’ comp benefits.

Recuperating from a serious work accident can be stressful and complicated. The good news is that the team at John Foy & Associates is here to make sure your recovery process goes as smoothly as possible. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and get the comprehensive legal support you need to obtain a fair settlement.