Wage Loss

There are three categories of wage replacement benefits available under the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Act:

1. Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD)
2. Temporary Partial Disability Benefits (TPD)
3. Permanent Total Disability Benefits (PTD)

Temporary Total Disability Benefits

Temporary total disability benefits (TTD) are paid if you are an employee injured at work who is not able to return to your regular work duties or if you cannot find work due to your current restrictions. The wage loss benefits payable to you will be 2/3 of your gross average weekly wage. Under Minnesota law, there is a limit of 104 weeks for TTD benefits. Also, even if fewer than 104 weeks of TTD benefits have been paid to you, once 90 days have passed after you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI), the TTD benefits will end.

Temporary Partial Disability Benefits

Temporary partial disability benefits (TPD) are payable to you if you were injured at work but you are earning less than you earned at the time of your work injury. The reason for your lower earnings must also be somehow related to your work injury. The wage loss benefits under this category are 2/3 of the difference between your gross weekly wage at the time of injury and your current earnings. Under Minnesota law, there is a limit of 225 weeks of partial disability benefits which can be paid to you.

Permanent Total Disability Benefits (PTD)

Permanent Total Disability Benefits (PTD) are payable to you if your work injury is a significant reason for your inability to be employed in any substantial employment taking into account your age, education, past work and job market in the area you live. If your injury occurred after October 1, 1995, you must also meet one of the following two criteria to claim PTD benefits:

1. Have any of these impairments:
   1. Bilateral permanent vision loss—loss of sight in both eyes
   2. Bilateral loss of arms at shoulder
   3. Bilateral loss of legs so that no artificial replacements can be used
   4. Permanent paralysis
   5. Permanent and total loss of mental faculties
2. Have any other injury which permanently and totally prevents you from working in gainful employment, provided you also meet one of the following:
   1. at least 17% PPD rating of whole body (see below)
   2. PPD rating (see below) of whole body of at least 15% and your age is at least 50 years at time of injury
   3. PPD rating (see below) of whole body of at least 13% and your age is at least 55 years at time of injury and you have not completed 12th grade or obtained a GED

Permanent Partial Disability Benefits (PPD)

Permanent partial disability benefits (PPD) are paid if you are an employee injured at work and if you sustain a permanent partial disability due to permanent loss of function in a body part or body function based upon a disability schedule. Your doctor will determine the percentage of your impairment rating using the Workers’ Compensation Disability Rules and your medical condition.

Below is a PPD chart:

INJURED? GET ACTION!

If you’ve been injured in a Workers’ Compensation injury in Minnesota, contact us to get started on resolving your Workers’ Compensation claim. Remember, consultations with prospective clients on Workers’ Compensation cases are free of charge.