Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) in workers’ compensation is a situation in which an injured employee has incurred permanent harm due to a workplace illness or injury, but the disability does not totally keep them from working. Rather, the person can still work in some way, either in their initial job with adjustments or in a new job entirely.
PPD normally happens following the injured employee having achieved Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), the time that the condition isn’t likely to change for better with treatment by a doctor. In this moment, a physician examines the enduring effect of the injury and imposes a disability rating according to how great the impairment permanently is.
PPD benefits are intended to replace the loss of earning capacity permanently. Payments are typically decided based on the level of impairment, the affected body part, and the injured worker’s wage at the time of injury. Every state formulates its own schedule and formula to determine PPD benefits.
Even if the employee isn’t completely disabled, understanding what is permanent partial disability is important, as PPD can have a serious impact on their capacity to earn the same wages prior to the injury. That’s why getting reasonable compensation is critical, usually with the help of an attorney.
