When you’ve been hurt on the job, you may have been left with a temporary disability or total disability that leaves you permanently injured. When this happens, you should initially receive workers’ compensation to cover your medications and other medical needs, as well as payment for part of your lost wages. After that, you may want to request benefits through the system for temporary total disability, known as TTD, or permanent total disability, known as PTD, depending on your situation.
Temporary total disability allows you to receive benefits until you’re able to go back to work. For instance, if you are unable to work due to a badly broken leg, you could receive wages through this system until you can work again. A doctor determines when you can start back at work, too, so there is no risk of being forced to return to work too soon.
Under permanent total disability, you can receive compensation for serious injuries that leave you unable to work in the future. This payment benefit is given to victims who can’t return to their previous jobs due to the nature of their injuries. If the person’s age, work history, education, or other factors mean it would be difficult for him or her to get back into the workforce in any way, then this benefit can be provided for the rest of his or her life.
Your situation is unique — unlike anyone else’s. It’s best to have someone who is knowledgeable about your situation help you get the benefits you need. To learn more about the benefits you may be eligible to receive and what you need to do to claim them after you’ve been hurt at work, please take a few moments to review our webpage on workers’ compensation.