How long can I receive workers comp benefits in Wisconsin is a often asked by injured workers. The answer depends on whether we are talking about temporary total disability benefits or permanent partial disability benefits. An injured worker receives temporary total disability benefits, called TTD, while you are in your period of healing for the work related injury and the doctor has you off work totally or has you on work-related restrictions which the employer cannot accommodate. TTD benefits may last a matter of days or up to several years in serious injury cases. The period of healing lasts until your doctor says you have reached the end of healing, often called a healing plateau. The healing plateau does not mean you are totally healed or all better and back to 100%. In fact, the cases McCormick Law Office gets the most workers comp benefits for involve an end of healing with permanent residuals.
In addition to TTD benefits during the period of healing, an injured worker is entitled to TTD benefits when qualified for retraining or vocational rehabilitation benefits. Most approved retraining plans are certified by the Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Retraining benefits are usually for two year retraining plans but plans up to four years or more are possible if that is what it takes to raise the permanently injured worker’s earning capacity back up to where it was before the work-related injury.
After the end of healing when TTD benefits stop, if your doctor states you have a permanent work-related injury, then you are entitled to permanent partial disability benefits, also called PPD benefits. PPD benefits in Wisconsin are paid monthly and last for how many months it will take to pay out the total PPD benefits allowed based on the doctor’s opinion of the disability percentage to the body part involved. The PPD benefits are determined by the body part involved and the disability percentage to the body part as assigned by your doctor. Generally speaking the more significant the body part, the more weeks of disability that factor into the PPD benefit calculation. For example, a 5% PPD rating to the back translates into 50 weeks of PPD benefits. The amount paid each week depends on the date of injury. Also, while the calculation is based on weeks, most insurance companies pay monthly rather than weekly. Work related permanent restrictions may create a loss of earning capacity claim, which would significantly extend the time PPD is paid.
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin McCormick Law Office attorneys help injured workers get and keep workers comp benefits in Wisconsin. Believe in better.
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