What Qualifies as a Permanent Partial Disability for Workers’ Comp

When you are injured on the job, you could be eligible for benefits through workers’ compensation, a form of insurance that employers carry for coverage when their workers are injured on the job. Following your injury, workers’ compensation benefits present a form of wage replacement in addition to coverage for medical costs during the time required to recover from your injury. 

Workers’ compensation benefits are generally meant to provide a short-term solution for an employee who is injured at work but will eventually be capable of returning to work in some form. When complete recovery happens, ongoing workers’ compensation is not possible, however, if your injuries impact your ability to work at a job that pays as well as before the injury, partial disability may be available to you. 

For help identifying what benefits you could be entitled to and to make the most of your claim with the help of an experienced PA workers’ compensation attorney who helps you every step of the way, connect with Vanasse Law, LLC below, and read on to learn more. 

How Does PA Define Disability and Partial Disability? 

Permanent partial disability is an injury that results in impairment that falls under the threshold to be found disabled. Under law published through the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for an adult to be found disabled and qualify for related benefits, you must be “unable to do any substantial work because of your medical condition(s),” with the state adding the emphasis there. If an injured person is able to perform some level of substantial work, then permanent partial disability may be available. 

The PA DOLI clarifies that partial disability benefits are paid: 

• When an employee returns to work
• Or the employee is deemed to be capable to perform currently available work as determined by an agreement or the decision of a Judge 
• The wages paid are lower than the employee’s earnings prior to the injury 

How Does Permanent Partial Disability Help? 

When your injuries do not qualify you for long-term disability benefits as you have recovered enough to return to work in a different and lower-earning capacity, Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) may be available to make up the difference. The PA DOLI notes that the maximum period of payment is 500 weeks, however, they are not required to be consecutive or back-to-back. 

The compensation rate from the date of the injury is two-thirds of the difference between the employee’s average weekly wage and the average weekly wage of the employee after their return to work. In total, permanent parietal disability in addition to the different earnings when you have returned to work cannot be higher than what you were earning prior to the injury. 

Connect with a PA Workers’ Compensation Lawyer from Vanasse Law, LLC 

To learn how an experienced local workers’ comp attorney from Vanasse Law can help you navigate the complex process of proving your permanent partial disability and collecting the full compensation you deserve, visit our site to schedule your free initial consultation.