Workers Compensation in Maryland
Workplace injuries often strike when you least expect them. One moment, you’re performing your routine tasks; the next, an accident leaves you dealing with pain, lost wages, and mounting medical bills. What do you do next?
Maryland’s workers’ compensation system covers medical costs, lost income, and even retraining expenses. It ensures that injured workers have the resources to recover and rebuild their lives.
However, securing these benefits isn’t always straightforward. Understanding how the system works is essential.
This guide provides a step-by-step look at workers’ compensation in Maryland, outlines what to do after an injury, and explains why legal guidance can make all the difference in securing the benefits you deserve.
Workers Compensation Statistics in Maryland?
Workplace injuries and illnesses are a persistent challenge in Maryland. In 2023, private-sector employers in the state reported approximately 46,200 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses, with an incidence rate of 2.8 cases per 100 full-time employees—slightly above the national average.
Certain industries in Maryland face higher injury rates:
- Healthcare and Social Assistance: Frequent lifting injuries and exposure to infectious diseases result in an incidence rate of 4.3 per 100 employees.
- Construction: With high risks of falls, heavy equipment mishaps, and repetitive strain injuries, this sector remains one of the most hazardous.
- Manufacturing: Known for repetitive motion disorders and machinery-related accidents, with an incidence rate of 3.7 per 100 workers.
How Does Workers Comp Work in Maryland?
Maryland’s workers’ compensation system ensures that employees injured or made ill due to their job receive financial and medical support. To qualify, your injury must occur during the course of your employment or as a direct result of your work environment. For instance, injuries from heavy lifting or illnesses caused by exposure to hazardous materials typically qualify.
Most employers in Maryland are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Key benefits include:
- Medical Care: Covers necessary treatments, including doctor visits, hospital stays, diagnostic testing, physical therapy, and prescription medications.
- Temporary Total Disability (TTD): Replaces two-thirds of your average weekly wage if you cannot work during recovery, subject to state limits.
- Permanent Partial or Total Disability: Provides compensation for long-term or permanent impairments caused by your injury.
- Vocational Rehabilitation: Offers retraining or job placement assistance if your injury prevents you from returning to your prior role.
- Death Benefits: Financial support for dependents, including funeral expense coverage, in the event of a workplace fatality.
Once approved, wage replacement benefits generally begin after a three-day waiting period and continue until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) or are cleared to return to work.
Get Medical Attention
After a workplace injury, seeking medical care should be your first priority. Prompt treatment not only safeguards your health but also establishes a critical link between your injury and your job—a necessary component of any workers’ compensation claim.
In Maryland, your employer or their insurance carrier typically has the right to select your initial healthcare provider. If you wish to change doctors, you may need approval from the insurer or the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission (MWCC).
Even seemingly minor injuries should not be ignored. Conditions such as repetitive stress injuries or illnesses caused by workplace exposure can worsen over time without proper treatment.
Keep detailed records of all medical visits, treatments, and prescriptions. These documents will serve as essential evidence if your claim is challenged or if additional benefits are needed.
File a First Report of Injury
Once you’ve received medical care, notifying your employer is the next critical step. Maryland law requires workers to report injuries within 10 days of the incident, but reporting as soon as possible can help expedite your claim.
Your employer must then file a First Report of Injury with their insurance carrier and the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission. This report should include:
- The date, time, and location of the incident.
- A description of how the injury occurred.
- Information about your medical treatment so far.
The insurance carrier will use this report to investigate your claim. Be prepared to provide additional documentation or clarify details if requested.
The Maryland State Office informs you of the statute of limitations to file for workers’ compensation. A claim must be filed no later than 2 years from the date of the accident that led to the injury.
Maryland workers’ compensation entitles you to medical benefits, and vocational rehabilitation, as well as benefits for temporary partial disability, temporary total disability, and permanent disability. However, Maryland law dictates that no employee can receive benefits over 100% of the state weekly wage average.
Why You Should Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Navigating Maryland’s workers’ compensation system can be challenging, especially if your claim faces resistance. Employers or insurers may dispute whether your injury is work-related, delay benefit payments, or offer insufficient compensation.
An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help you overcome these challenges. A lawyer can:
- Ensure all paperwork is completed and filed accurately.
- Advocate for fair compensation during disputes with insurers or employers.
- Represent you during hearings before the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission.
- Negotiate settlements for permanent disability or vocational retraining if necessary.
If your claim is denied or if benefits are prematurely terminated, a lawyer can guide you through the appeals process and help strengthen your case.
Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer in Maryland
Your health and well-being need to come first. If you are hurt while working or find out an illness you are suffering is the result of your job, you will want to seek compensation.
We can connect you with a local attorney or one across Maryland state lines.
Submit a request online or call us at (866) 345-6784 to find a workers’ compensation lawyer today!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.
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