After a work injury, many people believe that they are only eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. If you are still able to work after your injury, however, you can receive Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) benefits to help cover your lost income.
What Are Temporary Partial Disability Benefits?
TPD benefits are defined by Georgia Code § 34-9-262:
“[W]here the disability to work resulting from the injury is partial in character but temporary in quality, the employer shall pay or cause to be paid to the employee a weekly benefit equal to two-thirds of the difference between the average weekly wage before the injury and the average weekly wage the employee is able to earn thereafter but not more than $450.00 per week for a period not exceeding 350 weeks from the date of injury.”
Essentially, this means that an injured employee who is still working should be paid—either by the employer or its workers’ compensation insurer—for 2/3 of the wages lost following a workplace injury.
What Does Temporary Partial Disability Cover?
If you must miss work in order to go to the doctor, physical therapy, or seek another form of treatment stemming from your workplace injury, TPD is designed to cover those lost wages. It can also help employees who are only able to return to work in a role that pays less than the one they performed before their accident.
How much you receive is calculated by comparing your weekly wages over the 13 weeks prior to your injury with your wages during a week where a healthcare visit causes you to miss work. If the amount you make post-injury is less than you made before the accident, you are entitled to TPD benefits. There is a compensation cap of $450 per week, but you can receive benefits for up to 350 weeks after being injured.
How Is TPD Different from Temporary Total Disability Benefits?
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) benefits are meant to provide for an injured employee who is unable to return to work while recovering. Whether you are eligible for TPD or TTD benefits will depend on your ability to return to work following your injury.
In some cases, your injury may prevent you from working for a number of weeks or months. During this period, you will be eligible for TTD benefits. If you recover well enough to return to work but still require physical therapy sessions or another form of treatment that will cause you to miss some hours of work, you will then switch over to TPD benefits.
Injured at Work? We Can Help You Understand Your Options
At Kaleita Law Firm, LLC, our Atlanta workers’ compensation attorney has provided results-driven advocacy to injured workers for over 30 years. We can help you understand whether you are eligible for TPD benefits and make sure that you are fairly compensated for the harm you’ve experienced. Navigating this process alone can be confusing, and you cannot count on insurance companies—or even your employer—to have your best interests at heart. We'll use our experience to ensure you have everything you need to recover fully.
Call (888) 665-7699 to schedule your free case evaluation. We serve clients throughout North Georgia, including Blairsville, Ellijay, Mineral Bluff, Blue Ridge, Fannin County, Pickens County, Canton, Gilmer County, Sandy Springs, Dalton, Hiawassee, Towns County, East Ellijay, Jasper, & Union County.