Although most workers tend to fully recover from their job injuries, some continue to have serious, debilitating medical problems. A permanent disability is any long lasting disability or illness that impacts a person’s ability to work and earn a living. People with work-related injuries that resulted in permanent disability are entitled to disability benefits, even if they are able to go back to work.
However, permanent disability benefits can be limited. When a person loses income from their inability to work, permanent disability benefits sometimes aren’t enough to cover all of their lost income. Permanent disability benefits do not cover losses unrelated to your ability to work.
Permanent disability benefits are determined by:
- The Date of the Injury
- Qualified Medical Evaluators
- The Level/ Percentage of Impairment
- Disability Evaluator or a Judge
Permanent disability ratings no longer account for an injured employee’s future earning capacity. Additionally, sleep disorders or sexual dysfunction that did not result directly from the person’s injuries are no longer covered under permanent disability benefits.
How much a person is entitled to, depends on whether or not they have a total or partial disability. Total disabilities are those that are so physically or mentally debilitating that the worker is not expected to be able to work in any capacity. This category is reserved for the most serious injuries, like when a worker is blinded or loses their limbs. In these cases, the worker is considered to have 100% disability and becomes eligible to receive weekly payments for the same amount as their temporary disability benefits.
Do you have more questions about how to qualify for permanent disability benefits? We can help. At Wax & Wax, A Law Corporation, we help injured workers seek the compensation that they deserve for their injuries or disabilities. Let us put our experience to work for you today.
Contact our Glendale attorney to get started on your case today.
