Workers’ compensation laws exist to ensure that individuals who are injured at work will have their medical costs and lost wages covered while their injury heals. However, there are some people who sustain such serious workplace injuries that they may need a significant amount of time to recover or they may never fully recover at all. In such cases, they can seek workers’ compensation benefits for their disability.
Not just anyone can claim they are disabled and qualify for benefits, however. Instead, the workers’ compensation system has categorized different types of disabilities and your impairments must fit into one of these categories in order to qualify. These categories are as follows:
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) – This type of disability is long-term and while it may not prevent you from working altogether, it does affect your ability to perform certain jobs. People with PPDs may have to work part-time or may have to take a position with lowered pay due to their impairments and benefits serve to bridge the gap between their past and current earning capabilities.
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) – If your injury renders you totally disabled but only for a limited period of time, you can receive benefits for your TTD. Individuals categorized with a TTD will eventually recover and return to the workforce.
Permanent Total Disability (PTD) – This is the most serious type of disability category, as individuals with PTDs are not able to ever work again in any capacity. If your impairments only prevent you from doing certain jobs, you will still not be classified as having a PTD no matter how serious your disability may be. It can be challenging to prove a PTD and these injuries tend to be catastrophic, such as a spinal cord injury that leaves you paralyzed.
Negotiating a settlement for a disability with a workers’ compensation insurer is complicated. If you accept a settlement that is too low, you will not be able to ask for more benefits down the road. Therefore, an experienced workers’ compensation attorney should always review any offers to ensure it is adequate to cover your future estimated losses.
Call 201-498-9768 today for more information.
At the Law Office of John L. Schettino, we have seen firsthand how a disability from a workplace injury can affect your life. We will represent your rights throughout the workers’ compensation process and fight for the settlement you deserve. Please call our office to learn more if you have been injured.