Are there circumstances under which a family member can be reimbursed for taking care of a member of their family who was injured on the job?
The law provides for payment of personal care services provided by others to an injured worker. These personal care services have to be prescribed by a physician. The Department is reluctant to pay family members believing that in many circumstances they are not capable of providing the necessary services which would be better provided by professionals such as visiting nurses. However, recently the Department has established a set of guidelines for assisting family members, at least in head injury cases if not in other circumstances, in providing the necessary care. The Department is even willing to provide supervision of the family members by a trained professional to assure quality care is being provided to the disabled worker. This is a wonderful change in the Department policy which should reduce the cost to the Department and provide a loving caretaker for the seriously disabled worker.
