What Benefits Are Available Under Michigan Workers’ Comp?

Michigan workers’ comp is not a single benefit. It is a system of related benefits that can cover medical treatment, wage replacement, retraining, personal care, mileage, and survivor benefits in fatal cases. Some of these benefits are well known, while others are often missed because workers do not know to ask for them.

Understanding the full range of available benefits matters for two reasons. First, it helps injured workers make sure nothing is being overlooked, underpaid, or denied without justification. Second, the total value of a workers’ comp case depends on which benefits apply, how long they last, and how well they are documented.

This page covers each category of Michigan workers’ comp benefits, what each one provides, and how each one fits into the broader claim.

The Main Categories of Michigan Workers’ Comp Benefits

Michigan workers’ comp is not a single benefit. It is a system of related benefits that can cover medical treatment, wage replacement, retraining, personal care, death benefits, and reimbursement for injury related travel. The cards below give a high level view of the main categories so you can quickly see what may apply in your claim.

Each of these benefit categories is explained in more detail below. Some claims involve only one or two of these benefits, while serious cases may involve several at the same time.

Medical Benefits

Medical benefits are the foundation of most Michigan workers’ comp claims. They cover reasonable and necessary treatment related to the work injury. Unlike wage loss benefits, medical coverage is not limited to a weekly rate. As long as the treatment is reasonable, necessary, and connected to the work injury, the insurance company is responsible for paying for it.

What medical benefits cover. Medical benefits may include doctor visits, hospital care, surgery, physical therapy, prescription medication, braces, wheelchairs, specialist care, diagnostic testing such as MRIs and EMGs, and other treatment reasonably needed because of the work injury. There is no fixed dollar limit on medical benefits and no fixed time limit as long as treatment continues to be reasonable, necessary, and related to the work injury.

The 28-day doctor selection rule. For the first 28 days of treatment, the employer or insurance company generally has the right to choose the medical provider. After that 28-day period, the worker may choose their own treating physician, but written notice should be given to the employer or insurer. This rule matters because switching doctors too early or without proper notice can lead to disputes over whether treatment will be paid.

The reasonable and necessary standard. The insurer is only required to pay for treatment that is reasonable and necessary. This is one of the most common dispute areas in Michigan workers’ comp cases. Insurance companies may use IME reports, peer reviews, or utilization review to argue that surgery, injections, therapy, or ongoing care is no longer needed. A treating physician who clearly explains why the treatment is necessary gives the strongest support for getting that care approved.

Mileage to medical appointments. Travel to and from medical appointments may be reimbursable at the applicable mileage rate. This benefit is covered in more detail later in this guide, but workers should keep a mileage log from the beginning of the claim.

No deductibles, copays, or out-of-pocket costs. Authorized workers’ comp treatment should be paid by the workers’ comp insurer, not the injured worker. If you receive bills for treatment connected to a work injury, do not ignore them, but do not assume you are personally responsible either. Those bills may need to be redirected to the workers’ comp carrier.

Wage Loss Benefits

Wage loss benefits provide income replacement for workers who cannot perform their pre-injury job because of a work injury. They are usually the most financially significant ongoing benefit in a workers’ comp claim and the benefit most workers focus on when asking what they are entitled to receive.

The 80 percent calculation. Michigan workers’ comp generally pays 80 percent of the worker’s after-tax average weekly wage. Average weekly wage is commonly calculated using the worker’s highest 39 earning weeks out of the 52 weeks before the injury. The calculation may include overtime pay, discontinued fringe benefits such as employer-paid health insurance, and income from second jobs the worker can no longer perform because of the injury. Insurance companies can make mistakes in this calculation, and a worker who does not verify the math may receive less than they are owed for the entire claim.

The 7-day waiting period. Wage loss benefits do not begin immediately after a work injury. There is a 7-day waiting period, including weekends and holidays, before benefits start. A worker who is off work for 7 days or fewer does not receive wage loss benefits, although medical care should still be covered.

The 14-day retroactive rule. If the worker remains disabled for at least 14 days, wage loss benefits become payable for the original 7-day waiting period as well. In other words, a worker off work for 7 days receives no wage loss benefits. A worker off work for 14 days or more may receive wage loss benefits for the full period, including the first 7 days.

Total versus partial disability. Workers who cannot perform any work because of the injury may receive total disability benefits at the full applicable rate. Workers who can perform some work but earn less than they did before, such as returning to light duty at reduced hours or lower pay, may receive partial disability benefits based on the difference between pre-injury and post-injury earning capacity. Partial disability is one of the more disputed areas of Michigan workers’ comp.

The 2025 maximum weekly rate. Michigan caps the weekly wage loss benefit at 90 percent of the state average weekly wage. For 2025, the maximum weekly rate is $1,164. Workers whose pre-injury earnings would otherwise produce a higher rate are limited by this cap, which means higher-wage earners can be affected significantly.

How long benefits last. Wage loss benefits can continue for as long as the worker remains disabled and unable to earn at the pre-injury level. There is no automatic fixed end date. Benefits may stop when the worker recovers and returns to comparable employment, when the insurer successfully challenges disability through an IME or other evidence, or when the case is settled through a redemption.

Specific Loss Benefits

Specific loss benefits are one of the most important and most often overlooked categories of Michigan workers’ comp. These benefits are paid for the amputation or loss of use of certain body parts, and they may be paid in addition to other benefits the worker is receiving. A worker who loses a finger at work and returns to full duty may still be entitled to specific loss benefits even if they have no ongoing wage loss.

What specific loss benefits cover. Michigan workers’ comp pays a fixed schedule of weeks for the loss or loss of use of certain body parts. The schedule includes losses involving eyes, hands, arms, feet, legs, fingers, thumbs, and toes. Each body part has a designated number of weeks assigned to it under Michigan law. For example, the loss of a thumb is compensated for 65 weeks, while the loss of an arm is compensated for a longer period.

Loss of use can be treated like amputation. Specific loss benefits are not limited to physical amputations. Michigan law can also treat the permanent loss of use of a body part as a specific loss. A worker whose hand was severely injured and is no longer functional may be entitled to specific loss benefits for the hand even if it was not amputated. This is especially important in severe crush injuries, nerve injuries, and serious hand or foot injuries.

The benefit rate for specific loss. Specific loss benefits are generally paid at the same weekly rate used for wage loss benefits, based on 80 percent of the worker’s after-tax average weekly wage. Michigan law also provides a minimum benefit rate for specific loss cases, which can make these benefits meaningful even for lower-wage workers.

Specific loss is paid regardless of return to work. Unlike wage loss benefits, specific loss benefits are not based only on whether the worker is currently disabled from earning wages. A worker who qualifies for specific loss may receive the scheduled benefit even after returning to work. This is one of the biggest differences between specific loss benefits and ordinary wage loss benefits.

Why specific loss benefits get missed. Specific loss is technical, legally specific, and not well understood outside the workers’ comp system. Workers with partial loss of use, severe extremity injuries, or injuries that are not full amputations may not realize they qualify. Insurance companies do not always explain these benefits clearly, so workers with serious injuries to a hand, arm, foot, leg, eye, finger, or toe should ask whether specific loss applies.

Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits

When a workers’ comp injury prevents a worker from returning to their previous job, vocational rehabilitation may be available to help the worker prepare for different suitable employment. This is one of the lesser-known benefit categories in Michigan workers’ comp, but it can significantly affect both the worker’s long-term outcome and the value of the claim.

Vocational rehabilitation services may include job retraining, education, vocational counseling, job placement assistance, resume preparation, and other services designed to help the worker return to the workforce in a job that fits their post-injury restrictions, qualifications, and earning capacity. These services are generally provided by approved vocational rehabilitation specialists.

When vocational rehabilitation applies. VR usually becomes important when permanent restrictions prevent the worker from returning to the pre-injury job and retraining is reasonably likely to help the worker return to suitable employment. Workers who can return to their old job with minor accommodations usually do not need vocational rehabilitation. Workers with significant permanent restrictions may be stronger candidates for these services.

Vocational rehabilitation affects case value in two ways. First, the cost of providing VR services is part of the insurer’s exposure on the claim. Second, the success or failure of VR affects the worker’s post-injury wage earning capacity, which directly affects ongoing wage loss benefits and settlement value. A worker whose VR succeeds and leads to comparable employment may have less ongoing wage loss exposure. A worker whose VR fails, or whose injuries prevent retraining from succeeding, may have a stronger case for extended wage loss benefits or permanent disability.

Attendant Care Benefits

Attendant care is one of the most overlooked benefits in Michigan workers’ comp. It may be available when a serious work injury leaves the worker needing help with personal care, mobility, medication, wound care, or other daily activities they cannot safely manage alone.

This benefit is especially important because attendant care does not always have to be provided by a professional caregiver. In some cases, a spouse, parent, adult child, or other family member may be paid for providing medically necessary care at home. That care should be documented carefully, including what services were provided, how long they took, and why the worker needed help.

Attendant care may include help with:

Attendant care is different from ordinary household help. Workers’ comp is not meant to pay a family member simply for cleaning the house, doing laundry, or running errands that are not medically required. The key question is whether the care is needed because of the work injury and whether a treating physician supports that need.

Death Benefits

When a work injury or occupational illness results in the death of a Michigan worker, workers’ comp may provide benefits to surviving dependents and pay funeral expenses. Death benefits are designed to provide financial support to family members who relied on the worker’s income.

Funeral expense reimbursement. Michigan workers’ comp pays up to $6,000 toward funeral and burial expenses when a work injury causes death. This benefit is paid in addition to weekly benefits to dependents and is not deducted from other compensation owed to the family.

Weekly benefits to dependents. Surviving dependents may receive weekly benefits based on the deceased worker’s wages at the time of death. The benefit rate generally follows the same 80 percent of after-tax average weekly wage formula used for wage loss benefits during the worker’s lifetime, subject to applicable maximum and minimum rates under Michigan law.

Who qualifies as a dependent. Michigan workers’ comp law recognizes several categories of dependents. A surviving spouse is generally presumed to be dependent. Minor children under 16 are also generally presumed to be dependents. Other family members, including adult children with disabilities, parents, grandparents, siblings, or grandchildren, may qualify if they relied on the worker for at least half of their financial support. Dependency is fact-specific and may require documentation.

Duration of weekly benefits. Weekly death benefits to a surviving spouse generally continue for the life of the spouse or until remarriage. Benefits to minor children usually continue until age 16, or longer in some circumstances. Benefits to other dependents depend on the person’s specific situation and the law in effect at the time of the worker’s death.

The complexity of death benefit claims. Death benefit cases are among the most legally and emotionally complex matters in Michigan workers’ comp. Determining dependency, calculating benefit amounts, dividing benefits among multiple dependents, and addressing the interaction between workers’ comp death benefits and Social Security survivor benefits all require careful analysis. Families dealing with the death of a loved one from a work injury or occupational illness should make sure all available benefits are properly identified and documented.

Mileage Reimbursement and Other Out-of-Pocket Costs

One of the most consistently overlooked benefits in Michigan workers’ comp is reimbursement for the costs a worker incurs traveling to and from medical appointments and paying for certain treatment-related expenses. These reimbursements may not seem large on any single trip, but they can add up over the course of a claim. Workers who do not track and submit them may leave significant money unclaimed.

Mileage reimbursement. Michigan workers’ comp reimburses workers for travel to and from medical appointments connected to the work injury. The reimbursement rate generally follows the IRS standard mileage rate, which is updated annually. Workers should keep a log of every appointment, including the date, provider, destination, round-trip mileage, and purpose of the visit. Without documentation, the insurer may delay, deny, or reduce reimbursement.

What mileage reimbursement covers. Reimbursable trips may include visits to treating physicians, physical therapy appointments, specialist consultations, diagnostic testing such as MRIs and EMGs, IME appointments ordered by the insurer, prescription pickups when related to the work injury, and other travel medically connected to the claim. Trips to an attorney’s office for case-related meetings are generally not reimbursable as workers’ comp mileage.

Other reimbursable expenses. Beyond mileage, workers may be entitled to reimbursement for parking fees at medical facilities, tolls when applicable, and certain other expenses tied directly to medical treatment. Out-of-pocket prescription costs related to the work injury should also be submitted for reimbursement. If a worker pays out of pocket for treatment that should have been authorized, reimbursement may be available, although disputes over authorization can complicate the issue.

How to claim reimbursement. Most insurers require a mileage or expense form along with supporting documentation, such as appointment confirmations, receipts, pharmacy records, or proof of payment. Workers can submit reimbursement requests as expenses are incurred or in periodic batches. Submitting requests promptly helps avoid disputes over whether the trip occurred, whether the expense was related to the work injury, or whether documentation still exists.

Why these benefits get missed. Workers focused on weekly checks and medical treatment often do not realize they are entitled to mileage and expense reimbursement. Insurance companies do not always remind workers to submit these claims. Over a long-running claim, unclaimed mileage, parking, prescriptions, and related expenses can total hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Tracking these costs from the beginning and submitting reimbursement requests regularly is one of the most practical steps an injured worker can take.

When to Get Legal Help

Many Michigan workers’ comp claims involve straightforward medical care and wage loss benefits. But legal help becomes important when benefits are denied, delayed, underpaid, or when the injury is serious enough that multiple benefit categories may apply.

Consider speaking with a workers’ comp lawyer if:

At The Clark Law Office, you speak directly with a workers compensation attorney in Michigan who handles your case personally. You are not passed off to a case manager or treated like just another claim file. If you are unsure whether you are receiving every benefit available under Michigan workers’ comp, getting advice early can help identify what is being missed before the claim is undervalued.

Explore This Guide

The sections above cover the main categories of Michigan workers’ comp benefits. The pages below go deeper on specific benefits and on how the case fits together financially.