Tennessee Benefits

Wage Benefits

To be eligible for wage benefits, the injured employee must be deemed disabled by a physician and must not have worked for a minimum of seven days.

• Waiting Period: There is a seven-day waiting period in Tennessee. If the disability continues for 14 days, the injured employee will be entitled to wage benefits for the first seven days.
• Initial Payment: The first payment of wage benefits is due to the injured employee no later than 15 days following knowledge/proof of disability. These wage benefits will then be paid in weekly installments.
• Percentage of Wages: Weekly wage benefits are tax free and equate to 66 2/3 of your average weekly wage subject to a maximum rate.
• Maximum Rate: Weekly wage benefits are subject to a maximum of $1,093.40 as of this time.
  • For more information on the maximum and minimum wage benefits by year click here.

Medical Benefits

If an employee sustains an injury or illness arising out of and during the course of employment, workers’ compensation will cover reasonable and medically necessary treatment for an injury. Injured employees are not responsible for any copays and should not have any out-of-pocket expenses. All claims for medical benefits are forever barred unless within one year after the accident or death, the parties have agreed upon the payments to be made for medical benefits, or unless within one year after the accident, a formal claim has been filed.

• Choice of Physician: Medical treatment begins with the injured employee selecting a medical provider from a list. The employer is required to provide a list of three physicians to the injured employee as soon as practicable but no later than three (3) business days after receipt of the claim. The physician selected by the injured employee becomes the injured employee’s authorized treating physician, or ATP.

• Mileage Reimbursement: If the injured employee must travel more than 15 miles one way for treatment with an authorized physician, he/she is entitled to reimbursement of mileage expenses.

• Prescriptions: LUBA partners with Mitchell ScriptAdvisor to provide pharmacy benefits to injured employees. Mitchell ScriptAdvisor will issue a prescription card on behalf of LUBA for use at pharmacies to avoid any out-of-pocket expense for the injured employee. Mitchell ScriptAdvisor does offer mail-order prescriptions. Please contact your adjuster directly to discuss this option. You may also visit the LUBA Care section of this website and select pharmacy as the specialty.