Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Awards in Ohio Workers' Comp

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Compensation for Workers after Work Injuries in Ohio

You got hurt or sick on the job. You did everything you could to fully heal, but you’re left with ongoing symptoms. They could be serious, or they could be slight.

These symptoms might include pain, weakness, decreased range of motion, swelling, tenderness, decreased strength, sensory loss, or any other symptom related to your injury.

You may be able to work, but you have the right to file for a Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Award when you have a workers’ compensation claim in Ohio.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) or your employer might give you the impression that you can’t receive PPD benefits if you returned to work. But you need to know this: Everyone with an allowed work injury claim is entitled to file for a Permanent Partial Disability Award, even if you returned to work without any work restrictions.

Under Ohio workers’ compensation law, you can get a Permanent Partial Disability Award that helps compensate you for the challenges your injury presents going forward.

Explore your options by consulting with the Ohio workers’ compensation lawyers at Horenstein, Nicholson & Blumenthal (HNB). We work to get you the fullest possible benefits for a more secure future.

In fact, we’ve been helping Ohioans win assistance after life-altering injuries or illnesses for over 40 years.

We want you to say, “Helping me, that’s HNB.”

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How Does the Permanent Partial Disability Award Process Work in Ohio?

With a permanent impairment—constant pain, weakness, diminished range in mobility or another symptom—PPD benefits lessen the blow to your financial life.

A PPD benefits award is a lump sum payment you receive to account for your injury. A PPD award is NOT a settlement, and it does NOT end your workers’ compensation claim.

After you receive a PPD award, your BWC claim remains open, you can continue to receive medical treatment in your BWC claim, and the Ohio workers’ compensation lawyers at HNB can still try to settle your workers’ compensation claim for a lump sum amount at a later date, even if you have received PPD injury compensation.

After your application for a Permanent Partial Disability Award is filed with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, the BWC will schedule you for an exam with a doctor of their choosing.

A BWC doctor assesses the percentage of your permanent partial impairment based on the examination and will give a disability rating ranging from 0% up to 100%.

The BWC counts two weeks for every percentage point given by the doctor. For example, if the BWC doctor assesses a 5% impairment, you get an award equal to 10 weeks at your Permanent Partial Disability Award rate.

Keep in mind that Ohio BWC doctors typically give very low Permanent Partial Disability Award percentages. In fact, many times BWC doctors give a 0% award for an allowed BWC claim. You have the right to object to a PPD award percentage and be examined by a doctor of your choosing.

The PPD process is complicated, has strict deadlines to dispute BWC award percentages, and there are many potential pitfalls to handling this process on your own.

The workers’ compensation attorneys at Horenstein, Nicholson & Blumenthal know how the PPD process works, know doctors to send you to for a second opinion, and know how to maximize your PPD impairment award.

HNB has collected over $500,000,000.00 in awards, benefits and settlements for our injury clients over the years.

If you have questions about your workers’ compensation PPD benefits, or you would like help getting through the claims process, the work injury attorneys at HNB are here for you. You can get HNB helping you for no money out of pocket.

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How Do You Qualify for a Permanent Partial Disability Award?

Simply put, any person who has an allowed Ohio workers’ compensation claim is entitled to file for a Permanent Partial Disability Award.

It doesn’t matter how old the BWC claim is as long as the claim hasn’t reached the statute of limitations. The experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at HNB can determine whether your claim has reached the time limit. Chances are your claim still has time.

The road to a partial impairment award starts with the first step—applying for workers’ compensation.

You can apply for PPD 26 weeks after receiving your last Temporary Total Disability (TTD) compensation payment, or within 26 weeks of your injury if no other compensation was awarded. In Ohio, you send your PPD application to the BWC.

Once the BWC receives your application, you undergo an Independent Medical Exam (IME). A BWC-certified doctor will decide your disability rating. The BWC then issues a tentative order that details your PPD award—if they’re giving you one.

If you disagree with the IME findings or the tentative order, you have 20 days to object. A hearing will be scheduled before the Ohio Industrial Commission.

If you have a workers’ compensation lawyer with you at your hearing, you have someone knowledgeable about this process who can strongly advocate for you to get a higher PPD award.

We help all kinds of workers in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and every city and town in Ohio.

Workers are the lifeblood of Ohio’s economy, and when work leaves you with lasting changes to your health, we believe you deserve fair treatment and compensation that matches the dedication you showed every day.

We want to see you get the maximum benefits you deserve so you can focus on getting back to your life.

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