There are approximately five instances in which the Second Injury Fund may be able to help those who have suffered a Missouri work accident. Again, these are often complex scenarios involving serious or fatal work injuries.
They are often best handled by a workers' compensation lawyer in Southeast Missouri or in your part of the state. Depending on the circumstance the Missouri Second Injury Fund may help with disability benefits, death benefits, rehabilitation benefits, second job wage loss benefits or medical expenses for injured workers of uninsured employers.
Disability Benefits: The fund may assist injured workers who are already partially disabled at the time of the work injury. When such injuries combine with a previous disability to render an employee totally disabled, the employer is only liable for damages in connection with the last injury. The Second Injury Fund may step in to make up the difference.
Death Benefits: If an employee dies as the result of a work accident for an uninsured employer, the Second Injury Fund may be liable for payment of death benefits, burial expenses and payments to a surviving spouse. Such benefits typically require the order of a judge.
Rehabilitative Benefits: These benefits are meant to restore an injured worker to self-sufficiency to the greatest extent possible. Serious injuries that may qualify for rehabilitative benefits include quadriplegia, paraplegia, amputation or atrophy due to nerve injury.
Second job wage loss benefits: These benefits may be available to an employee who loses income at a second job because of a work injury at the first job.
Medical expenses for injured workers of uninsured employers: In cases where an employer fails to cover employees with workers' compensation insurance as required by law, the Second Injury Fund and the uninsured employer may be liable for medical care and expenses. In such cases, the Second Injury Fund is entitled to seek reimbursement for such care from the uninsured employer. The Second Injury Fund is not required to pay temporary or permanent disability benefits -- an injured employee must file a claim of compensation against SIF in order to claim these benefits.