You got hurt at work and now you’re laid up for a while. You’re worried that some of the damage your body is feeling may be permanent. While the health benefits offered by workers’ compensation are extremely important to your eventual recovery, however partial that may be, you’re also worried about your bills.
What kind of benefits does workers’ comp offer to cover your loss of income?
There are essentially four different kinds of cash benefits that you can receive from workers’ comp in Florida. They include:
- Temporary total disability (TTD): If you can’t work at all right now but it’s unclear whether or not your condition will improve, you can qualify for temporary total disability benefits. These are equal to two-thirds of your wages (66 ⅔%).
- Temporary partial disability (TPD): Perhaps you are able to work a little — or can work with restrictions, like reduced hours — while you’re still in the process of healing. If you’re earning less than 80% of what you were earning before, TPD benefits will pay you the difference between what you’re currently making and 80% of your prior wages.
- Impairment benefits (IB): If your condition has improved all that it’s ever going to improve and you’re still unable to work without restrictions, you can be given an impairment rating. That entitles you to compensation for any permanent injuries with which you now must live.
- Permanent total disability (PTD): If your condition is so severe that you’re permanently unable to work, you may be able to obtain ongoing benefits equal to 66 ⅔% of your average weekly wages.
Even though those benefits are out there, insurance companies often don’t want to pay them. If you’re struggling to get your workers’ compensation benefits approved, seek legal guidance and advice.