Can I Re-open My Case If My Condition Worsens?

Maryland law permits you to re-open your claim for more money within five years of the last time you were paid compensation for your injury if you have not settled your case. Compensation does not include medical treatment, mileage reimbursement or prescription expenses. It generally only means payments for permanent disability or temporary total disability. Therefore, if your condition worsens, even just a little bit, it is extremely important to claim and receive an increased permanent disability award and/or temporary total benefits. By doing so, you will have an additional five years to claim more money from the date of that payment.

On the other hand, medical benefits are for life (assuming you have not settled your right to claim future benefits). There is no five year limitation, but the difficulty of proving the relationship of the treatment to the original injury increases with time - absent an increased award of permanent disability.