If you suffer an injury while at work and you need to submit a workers’ compensation claim, you may encounter a term called TTD. TTD means temporary total disability benefits, and it is a calculation that determines the amount of benefits to which you as the injured party are entitled. According to the State of Nevada Department of Business & Industry, the state of Nevada’s work injury rules include definitions for how the calculation of TTD benefits should occur.
Even though the rules explain the steps to follow for calculating the TTD benefits, there are some exceptions to the rules. If you feel the calculation of your TTD payments occurred in error, you have the right to hire a workers’ compensation attorney to help with your case, explaining your side of the story and helping you seek benefits.
When TTD Applies
According to the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers (NAIW), TTD is a benefit designed to give someone who has suffered an injury on the job compensation for part of the wages he or she is unable to earn because of the consequences of the injury. To be eligible for TTD, you must ensure certain criteria is in place, including:
- Certification of injury: where any work-related injury the employee has suffered must receive verification from a medical professional regarding the type of injury and the inability of the employee to perform his or her normal duties because of the injury.
- Days unable to work: where the employee must be unable to work for five consecutive days immediately after the injury or for five days within a period of 20 days after the injury to qualify.
Light Duty Work Exception
Sometimes, an employer may be able to create a job for the injured party that the worker can do successfully, even while following the restriction guidelines on activity that the injured worker’s doctors have created. In a case like this, the employee must accept this work, called light-duty work, to be eligible to receive TTD benefits in lieu of the actual wage for the light-duty work.
There may be circumstances where you do not believe you are healthy enough to do the light-duty work. You may need the help of an attorney to argue your case and show that you deserve TTD benefits without having to perform the light-duty work.
Calculating TTD
The Nevada TTD rules say that an injured worker is eligible to receive TTD compensation that is equal to 66.67 percent of the worker’s average monthly wage. The state uses the worker’s 12 weeks of wages prior to the accident to calculate the average monthly wage. If your wages fluctuated from the normal amount in the weeks prior to the accident, causing the TTD calculation to be inaccurate and lower than what you actually deserve, according to NAIW, the state’s rules do allow the injured party to appeal the amount awarded.
Additionally, if you have more than one job, you have the right to have all of your wages added together to come up with the average monthly wage. However, you may need to file an appeal to have these extra wages used as part of the calculation for TTD.
TTD vs. TPD
When calculating workers’ compensation benefits, you may hear the term TPD mentioned at the same time as TTD. TPD is short for temporary partial disability.
A TPD benefit differs from a TTD benefit in that the TPD provides benefits to an employee who is able to work in a limited fashion after suffering the injury. If the limits leave the injured worker unable to earn his or her normal salary, TPD would help to make up some of the deficit.
The calculation of TPD involves determining the difference in the amount you are earning in your limited role versus the amount you would receive if you had a TTD designation. If the amount you are earning is less than what your TTD payment would be, the TPD awards you benefits equal to this difference.
We Are Ready to Defend Your Rights to Seek a Fair Settlement
Sometimes, workers’ compensation claims may involve temporary benefits, where terms like TTD are mentioned. TTD means benefits that have quite a few restrictions and calculations that may leave you feeling as though you are not receiving the amount you actually deserve.
If you want legal help with your workers’ compensation claim, contact the High Stakes Injury Law law firm. We are ready to study the facts in your case and determine whether you are receiving a fair level of treatment regarding your claim and for any TTD benefits to which you are entitled. For a free consultation, contact us at (702) 444-3228 today.