What if My Injury Causes Permanent Damage to a Part of My Body?

The law entitles you to compensation for permanent partial loss of use, or permanent partial impairment, of all your body parts. This benefit is called Permanent Partial Disability (PPD”).

Not all injuries and diseases result in permanent partial disability. In general, you are only eligible for PPD benefits after your condition will not improve any more.

The amount of PPD compensation you might get depends on three things:

• Your average weekly wage (How much you were earning before the injury?)
• The degree of permanent impairment or disability (How bad is the damage?)
• The part of your body affected (What is damaged?)

If your employer disputes the extent of your injuries, the Workers Compensation Commission evaluates the degree of physical impairment and the effect of the disability on your life at arbitration. Factors that may be considered include your age, skill, occupation, training, inability to engage in certain kinds of work or activities, pain, stiffness or limitation of motion.