Most employees understand that workers’ compensation exists to support workers who have been injured while on the job; however, workers’ compensation has different types and levels of care for employees.

Severe work injuries are scary. For purposes of this article, “severe” is going to be used when describing a work injury that prevents someone from working ever again, essentially meaning a total disability injury. This is not to diminish other injuries that can also be very bad and difficult for daily life. However, let’s focus on the benefits available after a severe work injury that would prevent someone from re-entering the workforce.

While disability benefits and worker’s compensation may seem to be the same thing, there is a key difference that separates the two. Worker’s compensation is paid out by an employer when an employee suffers a work-related injury while disability benefits are gained when an employee pays into an insurance program. Both disability benefits and worker’s compensation are for the benefit of workers who have suffered injury.