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In Tennessee, the length of Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) benefits is determined by the impairment rating given by your treating physician. As each case varies, so we can't specify the number of months you may receive PPD benefits without specific details about your claim. To discuss your claim, please call us at 800-332-2667.

You are not makin sense.... What does your med's (Losarten) have to do with anything?

Thanks for your question! The word "program" is just how we label the multiple services we provide. The Compliance Program mentioned in this video is a unit within the State of Tennessee's Bureau of Workers' Compensation. The Tennessee Bureau of Workers' Compensation Compliance Program consists of a group of Bureau employees, including investigators and attorneys, that review businesses to ensure they are following the laws requiring workers' compensation insurance. If a business is found to be in violation of the law, the Compliance Program has the authority to assess a civil monetary penalty for the period of non-compliance.

Glad to hear that, thanks for the feedback!

Start by talking with our Ombudsman. They are a small team who help with these situations and can explain what's going on over the phone with you or email. www.tn.gov/workforce/injuries-at-work/injured-workers/injured-workers/i-need-help--ombudsman-program-.html

Good morning and thank you for watching our video and for sharing your comments. Since its inception in 1919, workers’ compensation in Tennessee has always been a no-fault system that benefits employers and employees, alike. Employers benefit as they are granted some control over the medical benefits of the claim and by having medical and wage replacement (disability) benefits provided to injured workers that are limited to only those set forth in the workers’ compensation laws. Injured employees cannot sue for more. Injured employees benefit as they do not need to prove the employer was at fault or the cause of their injury in order to be entitled to benefits. While the system may not be perfect, it has worked to lessen the negative consequences associated with a work-related accident and served the citizens effectively and efficiently for over a century, and we continue to make improvements for the benefit of employers and employees. We wish you a happy, healthy, and safe 2022!

Mr. Heist, Thank you for your comment to our video explaining PPD benefits. We hope that you found the video helpful and easy to understand. It is one of many videos we have created to provide information to injured workers during a time of fear and uncertainty in their lives. In reviewing our records, we do not have a record of a claim in your name. If you were injured in a work-related accident and believe that you have a workers’ compensation claim that should have been reported to us by your employer, please call us at the number below. Is it possible that the claim is under a different name? If so, it’s true that while most claims are problem free, unfortunately not all claims go as injured workers and employers hope. We have developed many services and resources to help injured workers in your situation that are available free of charge. • Our toll-free phone line is answered by Ombudsmen who are trained to answer questions, provide assistance, and to open lines of communication between injured workers, their employers and the insurance adjusters. • Our Ombudsman Attorney Program provides free limited legal advice to injured workers who have not hired an attorney. • Our Next Step Program offers scholarships to qualifying injured workers who are unable to return to their job with their pre-injury employer. These scholarships train the injured worker in a field of their choosing, that would allow them to re-enter the workforce and not have to suffer the financial hardships often associated with early retirement. • We offer additional assistance to help obtain information from physicians and a penalty program to investigate improper denials of benefits. Please contact our ombudsman program by calling 800-332-2667 to explore these additional resources to help with your claim. We are eager to assist you.

Hello, what a question! Let's break this down: 1. If someone was at a job, received an on-the-job PPD injury, then voluntarily left/resigned from that job in order to change to another place of employment to ease the use of their acquired on-the-job injury (with lesser pay), would they still be entitled to the 1.35 lesser wage additional benefit? / (The injury resulted in a surgery). The general premise for eligibility for the resulting award and then the subsequent additional factors is that the work injury keeps someone from returning to any work or returns them to work at lower wages at the end of the "compensation period". It does not matter whether the work is for the pre-injury employer or a new employer. 2. Also, is that 1.35 considered an additional benefit or increased benefit or are all of those the same? The 1.35 is called a resulting award. Additional factors are the statutory term for an increase to the resulting award. The resulting award and additional factors together, are described as increased benefits in common terms. Age, high school, and unemployment are the additional factors. 3. On the latter increased benefits mentioned, if a settlement has not yet been completed, is a person over 40 still eligible for the "over 40" increased benefit or is that something that happens after? An injured worker must be eligible for the resulting award to be eligible for an additional factor. The parties are permitted to settle the resulting award and additional factors prior to the end of the compensation period if the parties so choose. Additionally, the parties are permitted to settle the original award, resulting award, and additional factors after the end of the compensation should they so choose. 4. Is a petition required for the increased benefits such as the "over 40" whether during the settlement process or after? A petition is required when there is a benefit dispute. If one party feels they are eligible for a benefit, and another does not, that is a benefit dispute. Another Petition is required to set up a settlement approval. 5. If the case is closed during the financial settlement (one lump sum) is petitioning for the increased benefits made null and void? The depends upon the terms on the settlement agreement and/or court order. Commonly a settlement is reached for an original award. It will have language that specifies the end of the compensation period. It will also have instructions on how and when to pursue the resulting award and additional factors. See the "Downloadable Templates" at www.tn.gov/workforce/injuries-at-work/bureau-services/bureau-services/court-of-wc-claims.html All cases are unique and so many factors go into each situation that we should probably talk one-on-one if you have further questions, give us a call at 800-332-2667.

Great! We'd be happy to talk to you about it.

Alex, that's a great question. It's the unemployment rate at the date of injury. The TN Dept of Labor and Workforce Development keeps up with all of those stats for us. The "yearly average unemployment rate” also comes into play too. Here's a blog post we wrote about it: wccourt.com/2018/04/11/thinking-about-the-fourth-factor/