Compensation for Work-Related Injury and Illness

This Note, an evaluation of disability compensation for work-related illness and injury, compares state-mandated civilian workers' compensation programs with the military and Veterans Administration (VA) programs. It concentrates on illustrating program differences and does not contain an exhaustive analysis of differences in the dollar values of compensation. To explore how the program differences might affect beneficiaries, this Note examines selected examples of disability compensation. It makes qualitative comparisons for specific cases and focuses on scheduled benefits for loss, or loss of use, of one of the limbs. It compares disability compensation for four cases of equally skilled civilian and military workers, using the available measures of education, years of service, and occupation to approximate an indication of skill. It compares compensation for two severe injuries and two less severe injuries. The results of the comparisons suggest that military/VA payment for disability is as good as or better than payment provided by civilian workers' compensation for all types of compensation, except possibly payment to survivors. Both programs may provide inadequate benefits, however.