What is the Second Injury Fund and who is eligible?
First established in the 1920’s, the Second Injury Fund is intended to promote the hiring of disabled individuals and to reduce the potential costs of WC awards for employers for injuries or conditions pre-existing the last compensable work related accident. This is done by the Fund assuming payment of permanent disability benefits after an initial period during which the employer or his insurance carrier makes these payments. To be eligible for Fund benefits, an individual must be totally and permanently disabled as the direct result of a work-related injury in combination with a pre-existing permanent partial disability. It is not necessary that the pre-existing permanent partial disability be work-related.
