Following a serious work-related injury, you will need financial compensation to support yourself and your family. If you were forced to miss any time on the job and/or your doctors feel you have permanent impairment because of your work-related injury, you have the right to seek disability benefits including:
- Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits; and/or
- Permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits.
At The Walthew Law Firm, we advocate for injured workers and their families. Our firm wants to make sure you know your rights. In this article, our Seattle workers’ compensation lawyers provide an in-depth guide to the most important things to know about disability benefits in Washington State.
Know the Different Types of Disability Benefits
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) Benefits
Were you forced to take time off from work to recover from your injury? If so, you may be entitled to recover temporary total disability benefits or TTD benefits. These benefits are commonly referred to as time-loss. Paid out every two weeks to eligible workers in Washington, time-loss benefits are designed to make up for a portion of the wages that you miss out on while recovering from your work-related injury. Time loss is calculated as follows:
- Single Worker: 60 percent of average weekly wages;
- Married Worker: 65 percent of average weekly wages.
Parents of minor children receive an additional 2 percent for each child (up to 5 children). Also of note, Washington has statutory minimum and maximum time-loss benefits. For 2022, the maximum monthly time-loss benefit is now $8250.79. If you have any questions about time-loss benefits in Washington, our Seattle workers’ comp attorneys are ready to help.
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Benefits
Unfortunately, not all workers are able to make a full recovery from a work-related injury or occupational disease and can be left dealing with a permanent impairment. In Washington State, a worker who has a permanent impairment after a workplace accident has the right to seek permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits. You may also hear this commonly referred to as a PPD award. Here are three key things to know about PPD disability benefits in Washington:
- PPD Benefits Compensate a Permanent Impairment: Whereas time-loss benefits are only designed to compensate workers for time missed on the job, PPD benefits are meant to compensate them for a permanent disability or impairment.
- You Must Reach Maximum Medical Improvement: To obtain a PPD award in Washington, a worker must first reach maximum medical improvement. In effect, this means that a doctor determines that further treatment is unlikely to help you make an additional physical/mental recovery.
- Your PPD Awards Will Be Based Largely on Your Disability Rating: The value of PPD benefits is based largely on an individual’s disability rating. The more severe your disability is, the greater the PPD benefits you can generally recover through an award.
It is important to know that PPD disability claims are notoriously complex, and it is imperative that injured workers have the proper rating so that they are able to access the maximum available financial award. If you have any specific questions about recovering PPD benefits, contact our Seattle workers’ compensation lawyers for immediate assistance.
Workers’ Comp Also Covers All ‘Proper and Necessary’ Medical Care
Disability benefits make up an important part of workers’ comp benefits in Washington. Beyond compensation for temporary or permanent disability, injured workers are also entitled to coverage for medical care. Under Washington law (WAC 296-20-01002), workers’ comp covers health care deemed to be “proper and necessary” to help the worker recover from their injuries.
How Our Washington Workers’ Comp Lawyers Can Help
Navigating the workers’ comp claims process is never easy, especially if you have suffered a serious injury and are seeking substantial disability benefits. At The Walthew Law Firm, we go above and beyond to do what is right for injured workers and their families. Among other things, our Seattle workers’ compensation lawyers are prepared to:
- Answer questions about the workers’ comp claims process;
- Ensure that you get the proper medical care that you need;
- Help you claim the maximum available TTD benefits; and
- Negotiate for the maximum PPD settlement offer.
Call Our Seattle, WA Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
At The Walthew Law Firm, our Seattle workers’ comp lawyers have fought for injured workers for more than 90 years. If you have any questions about recovering disability benefits after a work injury, we can help. Give us a call now or contact our law firm online to arrange your no cost, no obligation case assessment. From our office locations in Seattle and Everett, we advocate for the rights of injured workers throughout the whole region.