Commonly Used Acronyms in Worker’s Compensation.
Every profession or organization has certain phrases or acronyms they use on a daily basis that, to the layperson, mean very little and may only serve to add confusion to an already difficult process. The legal profession and court systems are no different. Injured workers often find themselves traveling down a confusing road filled with an unfamiliar or foreign-sounding language. The experienced attorneys at our firm navigate clients down this road on a daily basis.
Below is a list of commonly used acronyms to assist in understanding what is happening with your workers’ compensation case.
- TTD stands for Temporary Total Disability. TTD benefits are paid at a rate of 2/3 of your average weekly wage and should be paid for each week you are not able to work because of your injury until you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement (see below for definition).
- TPD stands for Temporary Partial Disability. TPD benefits are paid at a rate of 2/3 of the difference between your earning power before your injury and your earning power after. A typical example of a situation involving TPD is when your doctor restricts the number of hours you may work per day or per week. Another common example is payment for missed time while undergoing physical therapy or medical treatment.
- PTD stands for Permanent Total Disability. PTD benefits are paid at a rate of 2/3 of your average weekly wage or wages for a minimum 40-hour week (this may depend on how you are paid), whichever is higher, for as long as you remain disabled. Generally, PTD is paid when, because of an injury, you cannot earn wages in the same kind or similar work for which you have been trained or are accustomed to performing, or any other kind of work that a person of your mentality and attainments could do.
- PPD stands for Permanent Partial Disability. PPD benefits are paid at a rate of 2/3 of your average weekly wage or wages for a minimum 40-hour week (this may depend on how you are paid), whichever is higher. PPD is either paid to compensate you for a loss of earning capacity (see definition below) or for a percentage of impairment sustained to a particular body part, which is usually assigned by your doctor.
- MMI stands for Maximum Medical Improvement. MMI is generally the point at which your injury will not get any better or worse, and your condition is essentially fixed. Typically, your doctor determines when this point is reached. This is also the point where temporary benefits end and permanent benefits begin.
- LOEC stands for Loss of Earning Capacity. This is sometimes also referred to as Loss of Earning Power. This is generally a measurement of the difference between your ability to earn a living before your injury and after. This issue will only come up with certain types of injuries.
- VR or VRC stands for Vocational Rehabilitation or Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. In certain circumstances, you may be entitled to help with finding a new job, training, or additional schooling. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors assist with this process and may also help determine an injured worker’s loss of earning capacity (see definition above).
- FCE stands for Functional Capacity Evaluation. This is an evaluation performed by a physical therapist who is trained to help determine what type of permanent work restrictions you will require.
- IME stands for Independent Medical Examination. This is an evaluation performed by a doctor who is usually hired by a defendant insurance company to offer a second opinion. This exam may also be referred to as a Defense Medical Examination (DME).
Please keep in mind that these definitions are very general, and you should seek the advice of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney for more information or assistance with your case. If you have a claim for workers’ compensation benefits and don’t know where to start, call to schedule a complimentary claim strategy session with one of our attorneys.