How Long Can You Stay on Workers’ Comp in Illinois?
If you were injured on the job in Illinois, workers’ compensation can provide you with benefits covering your medical expenses and a portion of your lost wages. However, you might be wondering how long you can continue to collect these benefits. The answer is that it depends on the extent of your injuries and the type of benefits you receive.
Temporary Disability Benefits
There are two types of temporary disability benefits, which are covered in Sections 6 and 7 of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Handbook: temporary total disability (TTD) and temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits. TTD covers workers who cannot work at all for a limited amount of time, while TPD covers workers who can work in a reduced capacity for a limited amount of time.
Regardless of which type of temporary disability benefits you receive, your benefits will last until you recover and return to your pre-injury employment or you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI). MMI is the point at which further treatment will not result in further recovery.
Permanent Total Disability (PTD) Benefits
If your injuries are permanent and prevent you from working in any capacity, you can receive PTD benefits until retirement age. For example, if you suffered a spinal injury at work and became paralyzed as a result, you would likely be entitled to lifetime PTD benefits.
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Benefits
PPD benefits apply when your injuries are permanent but do not stop you from working in a reduced capacity, such as if you lost a finger or the use of a hand in a work-related incident. How long you can collect PPD benefits will depend on the nature of your impairment.
Wage Differential
If you take a new job that pays less than what you previously made, you may be entitled to wage differential benefits, which cover two-thirds of the difference between your pre- and post-injury wages. These benefits will last for five years or until you turn 67, whichever is longer. Note that you cannot collect both wage differential benefits and permanent disability benefits.
Scheduled Injuries
If you lost a body part or the use of a body part that is listed on the state’s schedule of injuries, the duration of your benefits depends on the body part injured and the extent of your disability. For example, a hand is worth 205 weeks of compensation. If you lost 100 percent of the use of your hand, you would receive all 205 weeks. However, if you only lost 50 percent of the use of your hand, you would receive 102.5 weeks.
Non-Scheduled Injuries
If your injury is not listed on the schedule of injuries, it is typically treated as having a maximum duration of 500 weeks. You then multiply those 500 weeks by the whole-body percentage associated with the extent of your disability.
Contact Our Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
If you have questions or concerns about your Illinois workers’ comp case, contact Johnston Law Offices P.C. for a free consultation with an experienced lawyer. Our team is available 24/7 to help you determine what benefits you are entitled to and to assist you in seeking those benefits.