A Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) is a state-run program that helps workers with pre-existing injuries or illnesses made worse by work-related injuries. If you were hurt at work and already had a health problem, you may be able to get help from a SIBTF.
What is a Trust Fund for Subsequent Injury Benefits?
If you got hurt on the job, you might be able to get help from the state’s Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF). Workers with an injury or illness that got worse because of their job can get money from the fund. To get benefits, you must have a doctor say that your work-related injury made a condition you already had worse.
The SIBTF can help you pay for medical care and lost wages because of an aggravation injury. If you aren’t sure you can get benefits, you should talk to an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer.
How does a Trust Fund for Subsequent Injury Benefits work?
A Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) is a state-run program that helps workers who have been hurt on the job and are now permanently disabled. The goal of the program is to help these people get back to work so they can support themselves and their families.
Workers must use up all other sources of income, like workers’ compensation and private disability insurance, before they can get benefits.
Once a person is found to be eligible, the SIBTF will pay benefits for up to two years. Benefits are paid out every month based on how much the worker was making when they got hurt.
The SIBTF is paid for by fees paid by California employers and insurance companies. The Department of Industrial Relations runs the program.
What is a Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund good for?
When you get hurt at work, you first think about how long you will be out of work and how much money you will lose. You may also worry about how you’ll pay for your medical bills. If your employer has a trust fund for subsequent injury benefits, you may be able to get benefits that can help you pay your bills.
A subsequent injury benefits trust fund is a state-run program that helps workers who get hurt on the job and can’t return to work by giving them money. The program is meant to help workers who get hurt pay for their living costs and medical bills while they get better.
To get benefits, you must have been hurt on the job and be able to prove that your injuries make it impossible for you to go back to work. You must also have tried to get workers’ compensation benefits and been turned down.
The number of benefits you get from a trust fund for subsequent injuries depends on your situation. The average use, though, is $2,500 per month. Most of the time, benefits are paid for six months to a year.
If you get hurt on the job, you should talk to your boss immediately to find out if they have a trust fund for later injuries.
Is SIBTF Taxable?
The short answer is “no,” and a SIBTF is not subject to taxes.
SIBTFs are made from settlements for personal injuries to help pay for medical care and other costs related to the injury in the future. The money can be used to pay for care at home, therapy, and special tools.
Since the money in a SIBTF is meant to cover future medical costs, it is not considered taxable income. It means that any money you get from a SIBTF will not be taxed.
If you aren’t sure if a SIBTF is taxed or not, you should talk to an accountant or financial advisor.
Conclusion
You probably don’t know much about a Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund, just like most people (SIBTF). But if you were hurt on the job and are getting workers’ compensation benefits, you need to know how a SIBTF can help you.
If you think you might be eligible for benefits from a SIBTF, you should talk to your employer or workers’ compensation insurance company.
Visit DYS Law or call (310) 473-2355 to learn more about how a subsequent injury benefits trust fund can help you.
