Getting an injury could mean that you need to take time off work to heal. An injury that you got on the job is your employer’s responsibility, which is why they must compensate you for the wages you’ll lose while you are unable to work. How much you will get paid and for how long will depend on various factors, such as the severity of your injury and your average weekly wage. However, no matter the amount, this benefit will help you get through while you are unable to work.
Permanent partial disability
In Kentucky, you can receive worker’s compensation wage benefits if you have a permanent partial disability (PPD) because of an accident you had at work. Having a permanent partial disability means that you lost the function of a body part or lost it completely. To determine how long a worker with PPD will receive wage benefits, and how much they will pay, the state uses a complicated formula that involves different factors, such as:
- Your percentage of disability
- Your average weekly wage
- Your age
- The year you got the injury
The year you got the injury matters as the state changes every year the maximum and the minimum amount that a worker can receive for PPD benefits. Workers injured in 2021 can receive weekly a maximum of $1,009 if they can’t get back to the same job they had before the injury. If the worker takes another job in which he earns the same or more than their previous job, the maximum they can receive is $757 per week. How long these payments will last will depend on your percentage of disability. If it is more than 50%, you’ll receive payments for up to 425 weeks, and if it is more than 51%, your payments will last for up to 520 weeks.
Temporary and permanent total disability
The compensation for lost wages is calculated differently for those who get an injury that leaves them completely unable to work. If this is your case, the state will first consider that you have a temporary total disability (TTD). Workers with TTD don’t get paid for the first seven days they miss work unless they cannot work for more than 2 weeks. So if you cannot work for more than 14 days, your employer will have to compensate you for all your lost wages during those 14 days. After that, your employer’s insurer will keep paying your benefits until you can return to work. You should get at least two-thirds of your weekly wage average, but there are limits as to how much or how little you can receive:
- If you got injured in 2021: maximum $1,009 and minimum $183
- If you got injured in 2020: maximum $979 and minimum $178
If your condition does not improve and your doctor determines that your disability is permanent, you’ll receive the same amount that you would receive with TTD until you turn 70 years old.
Your right as an injured worker
If you got an injury on the job, you should focus on taking care of yourself and not worry about your missed wages. Your employer has the obligation of compensating you for every day you miss work after the seven-day period. They must also compensate those seven days if your injury makes it impossible for you to work after two weeks from the date of the accident. You don’t deserve to lose the wages you would have earned if it wasn’t for your injury, and you have the right to fight for your benefits if your employer’s insurer denies them.
