What Qualifies as Permanent Partial Disability for Workers’ Comp?

June 22, 2022 | Workers’ Compensation

What Qualifies as Permanent Partial Disability for Workers’ Comp?

You could be eligible for worker’s compensation if you get injured at work. Worker’s compensation is a form of insurance. It pays employees in the form of wage replacement and medical benefits while they are injured. It is generally meant to be a short-term solution to help the employee; once the employee heals, they can go back to work and won’t need worker’s compensation. 

Some injuries are severe enough that you are affected permanently. When this happens, you might be eligible for Permanent Partial Disability. Read on to learn all about what this designation entails and how it could apply to your circumstances.

What Is Permanent Partial Disability?

What Is Permanent Partial Disability?

Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) occurs when an employee injured at work has recovered enough to return to work but still has a permanent impairment. When you have a permanent impairment, you are unable to work at your full capacity. 

You could be working but still dealing with physical and/or mental pain and suffering from your injury. You might have limitations relating to your job. This leads to lower wages prior to your injury. With this kind of injury, you are not expected to improve any more than you already have with treatment. 

How Is Permanent Partial Disability Determined?

How Is Permanent Partial Disability Determined?

In order for PPD to be determined, you need a doctor. The doctor will certify that as a patient, you reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). Although you reached maximum medical improvement, you are still injured and assigned a permanent impairment rating. The rating is a measurement of your whole-body functional impairment caused by injury or occupational disease. It is expressed as a percentage of impairment.

To assess the loss of function, doctors use the American Medical Association’s Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. There is math surrounding your rating. The permanent impairment rating is multiplied by a number to establish the disability rating. 

How much payment you get is affected by a few factors, including:

  • Your income,
  • Your disability rating.

The compensation rate for partial disability is two-thirds of the difference between the employee’s average weekly wage and the average weekly wage of the employee following their return to work. Unfortunately, PPD payments do not last a lifetime. The duration can go up to 500 weeks, which is equivalent to 10 years. The 500 weeks do not need to be consecutive. 

To calculate how much you can get for PPD, contact a worker’s compensation attorney.

What Kinds of Injuries Qualify Under PPD?

There are many injuries that can lead to PPD, including:

  • Back injury
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Loss of hearing, vision, or limbs
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Loss of fine motor skills

If you have any permanent loss of mobility or any other function, you might qualify. 

If your level of impairment passes the 35% threshold while you are on Permanent Partial Disability, you can file for total disability status. Whether you have permanent or total disability status, your employer can ask for updated impairment rating evaluations to ensure that you still qualify for benefits. 

A Worker’s Compensation Attorney Can Help

A Worker’s Compensation Attorney Can Help

If your work injury leads to a permanent loss in your life, you deserve compensation. Workers’ compensation attorneys can calculate how much you are owed in benefits and fight for you to receive the full amount you deserve. PPD benefits can cover medical bills if you need treatment long-term. You can also receive a bi-weekly check as compensation. 

Hiring an attorney can ensure that no stone is left unturned in maximizing your compensation after an injury. Most workers’ compensation attorneys offer a free consultation, so it won’t hurt to reach out for assistance.

If you’ve been injured in a workers’ compensation, please contact Marzzacco Niven & Associates at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today:

Harrisburg Law Office
945 East Park Drive, Suite 103 Harrisburg, PA 17111
(717) 231-1640

York Law Office
Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in York, PA
2550 Kingston Road, Suite 210A York, PA 17401
(717) 995-8998

Wyomissing Law Office
Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Wyomissing, PA
833 N. Park Road, Suite 103, Room A Wyomissing, PA 19610
(717) 388-2325

Chambersburg Law Office
Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Chambersburg
79 St. Paul Drive, Suite 1 Chambersburg, PA 17201
(717) 388-2378

Carlisle Law Office
Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Carlisle
354 Alexander Springs Road Carlisle, PA 17015
(717) 995-8732

Carbondale Law Office
Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Carbondale
30 Lincoln Avenue, Suite 101 Carbondale, PA 18407
(717) 995-8810

Lancaster Law Office
Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Lancaster, PA
2173 Embassy Drive, Ste 123, Lancaster Pa 17603
(717) 616-2954

Lebanon Law Office
Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Lebanon
937 Willow Street, Suite D Lebanon, PA 17042-1140
(717) 995-8963