A work-related injury or illness can affect both your treatment and your income. New York workers’ compensation may provide medical care and cash benefits, but the type and amount depend on the accepted claim, medical evidence, and the Workers’ Compensation Board’s rules. Cole Sorrentino can help you review a benefit notice or a disputed claim.
Medical care and wage benefits
The Board explains that workers’ compensation provides medical care for a job-related injury or illness and may pay part of lost wages. Necessary medical care does not depend on missing more than seven days of work. Cash benefits may be available when a worker cannot work for more than seven days or earns less because of reduced hours or different duties. The first seven days of disability are generally not paid unless disability extends beyond 14 days.
Keep treatment records, work restrictions, pay records, and notices from the insurer or Board. If your work status changes, those documents can help explain how the condition affects your earnings. A benefit dispute may require further medical evidence or a Board decision.
Permanent impairment and other benefits
After a worker has recovered as much as expected, a permanent loss of function in a covered body part may support a Schedule Loss of Use award. The Board identifies covered parts and uses medical reports to determine the percentage of loss. Other permanent disabilities are evaluated under different rules. A fatal work-related injury may involve separate survivor benefits; the Board provides guidance for those claims.
Common questions about workers’ compensation benefits
What benefits can New York workers’ compensation provide?
For an accepted work-related injury or illness, workers’ compensation may pay for necessary medical care and provide cash benefits when the condition causes qualifying wage loss. Other benefits depend on the facts and Board rules.
Can medical care be covered if I do not miss work?
Yes. The New York Workers’ Compensation Board says necessary medical care does not depend on being out of work for more than seven days. The treatment still must meet the rules for the work-related claim.
When might lost-wage benefits begin?
The Board says a worker who cannot work for more than seven days, or whose pay falls because of fewer hours or different work, may qualify. The first seven days are generally unpaid unless the disability lasts more than 14 days.
What is a Schedule Loss of Use award?
It is an additional cash award that may apply after maximum medical improvement when an accepted injury leaves a permanent loss of function in a covered body part. Medical evidence and the Board’s decision determine the degree of loss.
Discuss a benefit question
If a benefit notice is unclear or a carrier disputes the work connection, gather the notice, medical reports, work restrictions, and recent pay records. Contact Cole Sorrentino to discuss what the Board has decided and what evidence may be needed next. Read about the firm’s workers’ compensation practice.
Law checked as of September 30, 2026. Sources: New York Workers’ Compensation Board: What is Workers’ Compensation?; Lost Wage Benefits; Schedule Loss of Use Award; Workers’ Compensation Information for Workers.
