Workers’ Compensation and Assistance for Children of Severely Disabled and/or Industrially Deceased Workers: What You Need to Know

Is There Assistance For College For Children Of Severe Injured Workers Or Industrially Deceased Workers? orkers’ Compensation and Assistance for Children of Severely Disabled Worker


Yes. There is a program that can provide assistance to the children of injured workers.  The program is called Kid’s Chance.

What Is Kid’s Chance?


Per their website, Kids’ Chance provides educational opportunities and scholarships for the children of a seriously injured worker or a worker killed on the job. Their vision is to allow for all children affected by a parent’s work-related injury or death can pursue their educational dreams without financial burden. Their mission is to create a “strong Kids’ Chance presence in all 50 states by providing national visibility, financial support, and best practices to each state Kids’ Chance organization.”

Kid’s Chance was founded by a workers’ compensation attorney Robert Clyatt in 1988 in Georgia.  He “witnessed the life-shattering impact that a serious workplace injury had on the children of seriously or fatally injured workers, who were now faced with the difficulty of having to fund their own education.”

What Is the Thought Process Behind the Program And How Does It Work? 


The thought process behind Kid’s Chance is to address the question of “[w]hat happens when a child loses a parent to a work-related fatality? How do families cope with a dramatic decrease in income because Mom or Dad cannot return to work due to an injury?”

Kid’s Chance wants to deal with situations in which the pursuit of higher education seems unattainable due to the work injury tragedy.  Kid’s Chance vision is the hope that “no student should be denied the opportunity to pursue an education due to lack of finances.”

What Is A Severely Injured Worker That Qualifies For The Program? 


This is a good question.  I recommend that you contact the program to see if it applies to your situation.  A Severely Injured Worker is usually defined as one who have suffered catastrophic injuries. These catastrophic injuries can include the loss of a limb, paralysis, severe burn, or severe head injury. Again, it is strongly recommended that you contact Kid’s Chance to obtain information concerning the exact criteria that they use to determine the definition of what is a severely injured worker.

I Have A Child That May Need Their Assistance, When Should I Contact Them? 


The answer is now!

Pursuant to Kid’s Chance, “planning for the future never starts too early.”  Kid’s Chance has a Planning for the Future Initiative. “The Planning for the Future initiative is designed to reach potential scholarship applicants, specifically those who are not yet of college age.” They collect and maintain contact information for identified students and communicate with them when the time comes to start considering higher education. Scholarship grants may be awarded to students attending accredited post-secondary educational programs.

Kid’s Chance recommends that “[i]f you are the parent or guardian of a child who may qualify, even if their college-age years are far away, complete the online form below to submit your information for potential scholarship opportunities. Here at Kids’ Chance of America, when the time is right, we will share your information with the appropriate Kids’ Chance state organization to begin the scholarship application process for the applicant to be considered for Kids’ Chance support.”

It should be noted that each state handles scholarships differently.

The link for Kid’s Chance is www.kidschance.org

The website for the California organization is www.kidschanceca.org.  Their phone number is 415-877-KIDS.  Their email is [email protected].

Who is Helping This Charity?


The answer is the entire workers’ compensation community. The charity benefits from donations from employers, insurers, labor, state government, medical care providers, and both plaintiff and defense attorneys. If you wish to donate money, please feel free to contact them.  Their link is www.kidschance.org

What If I Need Advice?


Law Offices of Edward J. Singer


If you would like a free consultation regarding your workers’ compensation claim, please contact the Law Offices of Edward J. Singer, a Professional Law Corporation. They have been helping people in Central and Southern California deal with their worker’s compensation cases for 26 years. Contact us today for more information.

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