Utah Workers' Compensation: Fast Facts
Coverage Requirements Under Utah State Law
Most Utah employers must provide workers' compensation insurance for all their employees, with limited exceptions. We list any automatically exempt employees that do not have this type of insurance coverage below.
Work-Related Injury or Illness Reporting Requirements
Report your workplace injury or illness to your employer immediately, preferably in writing, and ask where to seek medical treatment. If your employer has no designated preferred provider, then you're free to see any doctor who accepts workers' compensation insurance. Your employer then has 7 days to file your claim with their workers' comp insurance provider. If you don't seek treatment or report the incident within 180 days (6 months), you cannot qualify for workman's comp.
Where to Seek Medical Care
Find out from your employer if you must see a preferred healthcare provider before you seek medical attention. In some cases, it may be fine for you to see your own doctor or head to the nearest hospital or clinic. However, you should only do that first if you have a life-threatening medical emergency and need urgent care. If you see an unauthorized provider for non-emergency treatment without permission, you may have to pay those doctor's bills yourself.
Waiting Period for Lost-Wage Benefits in Utah
Your first 3 days off are always unpaid unless you cannot work for at least 14 days in a row. Once you need at least 15 days off to recover, Utah workman's comp covers all the days you missed work. Utah state law says your employer's insurer must approve or deny your claim in 21 days. If you go back to work in less than 4 days, then workers' compensation only covers medical bills.
Utah Workers' Compensation Statute of Limitations
You have one year from your work injury or illness diagnosis date to apply for Utah workers' compensation benefits.
Utah Weekly Compensation Rate
You can receive up to 66 2/3% of your average weekly wage (AWW), subject to Utah's maximum and minimum benefit amounts. You can also receive $20 per week for up to 5 eligible dependents in your household that you support financially.
How Long You Can Receive Utah Workers' Comp Benefits
- Medical benefits:unlimited
- Death benefits:up to $9,000 for funeral and burial expenses, plus weekly TTD payments for up to 312 weeks or the surviving spouse remarries; remarriage triggers a lump-sum payout for up to 52 weeks of benefits; payments to dependent children last until they turn 18 years old
- Temporary Total Disability (TTD):up to 312 weeks, or no more than 12 years past the original injury or illness diagnosis date
- Permanent Partial Disability (PPD): TTD payments for up to 312 weeks, or no more than 12 years past the original injury or illness diagnosis date
- Temporary Partial Disability (TPD):66 2/3% of the difference between your pre-injury and post-injury earnings for up to 312 weeks, or no more than 12 years past the original injury or illness diagnosis date
- Permanent Total Disability (PTD):TTD payments for the first 312 weeks of disability; after that, the state will recompute your benefit amount based on the state's current max and minimum payments
Utah Workers' Comp Coverage Exemptions
The following employees are automatically exempt from Utah workers' compensation coverage requirements:
- Federal employees
- Independent contractors
- Real estate brokers
- Sole proprietors, partners, and corporate officers
Utah Workers' Compensation Attorney Fees
All Utah workman's comp lawyers work on contingency. This means you only pay legal fees if you win. If you don't win, then you pay your lawyer $0. For successful claims, Utah workers' compensation lawyers can charge:
- 25% of the first $25,000 of your award
- 20% of your award totaling between $25,000 and $50,000
- 10% of any award amount in excess of $50,000