If you have been injured in a work-related accident, you may be eligible for temporary total disability (TTD) benefits or for permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits. This alphabet soup of classifications can be confusing, especially when you’re dealing with the pain, emotional stress, and financial strains of injuries like these.
To clear up the confusion about what these are and who is eligible, we’ll begin by defining what each classification means.
Temporary Total Disability (TTD)
This means that, for a specific period of time, a worker’s injuries are serious enough that he or she cannot return to the job, and that they should receive compensation from worker’s compensation insurance for the time they are unable to work.
A person is deemed eligible for TTD benefits if a doctor—of the employer’s choice—examines them and assigns them a Total Disability, Individual Unemployability (TDIU) rating. This means that the doctor believes that, eventually, the worker will be able to return to the job.
It is important to note that you can maintain the benefit until the doctor releases you from care. If you believe the doctor is not taking your injury seriously, you have the right to appeal. Also, the TDIU rating is the result of the single opinion of one physician. You have the right to appeal the rating if you disagree with it. You need to see a doctor who understands your problem.
Patrick S. O’Brien is experienced in helping injured workers receive the compensation to which they are entitled. Contact our office for a free case evaluation.
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD)
A permanent partial disability rating happens when a person is injured on the job, and even after they heal, the resulting impairment will permanently affect their lives. The worker will still be able to work, sometimes in a different capacity, but the impairment will remain. PPD is different than a total disability, which means the person will not be able to work at all.
In Missouri, the compensation you receive is distributed in a lump sum, and it is based on the body part that is injured. Each body part is assigned a number of weeks, and that number is multiplied by the percentage of injury that the doctor deems you’ve sustained. In Missouri, the number of weeks of PTD is capped at 400 weeks.
PPD Benefits Calculation Formula
The formula looks like this:
(Weeks) x (Percentage of disability) x Compensation Rate = Award
The compensation rate is usually ⅔ of a person’s average weekly wage.
There are other factors to consider. If you are deemed totally disabled (PTD), this award can impact your Medicare and Social Security benefits, for example. A qualified and experienced worker’s comp lawyer in St. Louis at The Law Offices of Patrick S. O’Brien can help to move your case along quickly so that you don’t have to fight harder later to get what you deserve.
Our office offers free case evaluations, we listen to your concerns, and we answer all of your questions. We are sincerely interested in making sure you receive fair and just compensation for your loss. When it comes to PPD and TTD claims, we will fight to maintain your rights. Request a consultation today.