If a work accident results in a disability, you are entitled to certain benefits on top of regular workers’ compensation. Disability benefits are designed to cover lost income resulting from reduced earning capacity.
There are four different classifications of disability benefits, including TTD, TPD, PTD, and PPD. These deal with either temporary or permanent disabilities and the type you qualify for will affect how much you receive in compensation.
Temporary Total Disability – TTD
One of the most common forms of disability is TTD. You qualify for these benefits when any of the following apply:
- Your doctor deems you completely unfit to work in any capacity
- You can only perform lighter tasks, but your employer has none to offer you
Meeting the qualifications for TTD means fulfilling very strict requirements—you must not be capable of performing any type of work for your employer, not even light tasks. In some cases, this may be disputed, in which case you’ll want the representation of an attorney.
TTD is calculated at 2/3 your average wages, with a current maximum of $1,480.12 as of July 15th of this year. Minimums also apply in order to ensure you are able to continue supporting yourself and your family. These benefits last as long as you are unable to work.
Temporary Partial Disability – TPD
Temporary partial disability, or TPD, is like TTD in that the benefits are designed to keep you afloat as long as you are recovering from your injury. However, with a partial disability, you are still able to work, just in a lighter role. If your pay is reduced as a result, TPD gives you a wage differential based on the difference in earnings.
Similar to TTD, TPD is calculated as 2/3 of the difference in wages. This means if you initially earned $520 per week but now only earn $350, you’d get 2/3 of $170, or about $113 per week in disability benefits.
Permanent Total Disability – PTD
Permanent total disability is the most significant type of benefit you can receive. If you are rendered completely incapable of working ever again, you would qualify for PTD compensation.
To qualify for PTD, you must meet one of the following requirements:
- You have permanently lost the use of both hands, feet, arms, legs, eyes, or some combination of two of those.
- You are otherwise completely incapable of performing any employable work.
Whether you qualify is determined when you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). Permanent total disability benefits can technically last until you pass away, though they are also frequently handled as a lump sum settlement.
Permanent Partial Disability – PPD
PPD benefits can become highly complex since they involve a wide array of serious injuries. To qualify for this type of compensation, you’ll have to meet one of the following criteria:
- Permanent loss of some part of the body, be it partially or completely
- Permanently lost the use of some part of your body, whether partially or completely
- Permanent partial loss of the use of your body as a whole
There are multiple ways these cases are handled, so you might receive any one of the following:
- Wage differential
- Disfigurement compensation
- Lump benefit based on a scheduled injury
Determining what benefits you’re entitled to for your injury can be a challenge, which is why it’s strongly recommended that you contact an attorney. Hart David Carson LLP can assess your case and help you take the best course of action.