Types of Connecticut Workers Compensation Benefits

Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD)

    Money paid weekly or bi-weekly to an injured employee who is unable to perform any type of work because of injury.

    The amount paid is about about 75% of your after-tax income.  (Example:  If your take home pay is $400 after paying income tax and Social Security withholding, your TTD payment would be about $300.)

    You will receive TTD when the doctor authorized to treat you for your workers compensation injury says you cannot do any type of work.  These payments will stop once the doctor says you can return to either full duty or light duty.

Temporary Partial Disability Benefits (TPD)

    Money paid weekly or bi-weekly to an employee who is not fully recovered and cannot do his or her regular work but is doing some type of easier work for less pay.

    The amount paid is 75% of the difference between what you would be earning at your regular job and what you are able to earn now, after taxes.  (Example:  After taxes, your pay was $450.  Now you are making $350 after taxes.  You are making $100 less, so you would be paid 75% of that amount, equal to $75, as TPD).

    You will receive TPD if your authorized doctor says you cannot do your usual job but either can do something lighter or work less hours.  These payments will stop once your doctor says you can return to regular work.

    If your company does not have an easier job for you, you may have to look for work each week and send the insurance company proof of your work searches to keep getting paid TPD.

Permanent Partial Disability Benefits (PPD)

    Money paid for permanently losing some of the function of part of the body.

    The amount paid for PPD depends on the part of the body affected and the amount of disability.

    The Connecticut workers compensation law has a list of the parts of the body that most commonly are hurt.  (This list is in Connecticut General Statutes Section 31-308.)  Each of these parts is given a value in number of weeks.  The amount of each weekly check is approximately equal to 75% of your after-tax wages at the time of your injury.

    (Example:  Your doctor says you have lost 10% of the function of your right shoulder.  You are right-handed.  The law says the master arm is worth 208 weeks.  You will get 20.8 weeks of checks.)

Wage Differential Benefits (§ 308a) 

    Money paid weekly or bi-weekly to an employee who is fully recovered and cannot do his or her regular work but is doing some type of easier work for less pay.

    These benefits are discretionary - they are only paid if the workers compensation commissioner feels they should be paid.  These benefits are paid after Permanent Partial Disability benefits run out.

     If paid, § 308a benefits are usually paid only for the same number of weeks as were paid for permanent partial disability.

    These benefits are called § 308a benefits because of the law that makes them available.  (Connecticut General Statutes Section 31-308a.)

Settlement of a Connecticut Workers Compensation Case (Stipulation)

    An employee and his employer's workers compensation insurance company may choose to close out a case.  This is usually done with a one-time, lump sum payment to the employee.  In return, the employee gives up the right to the payment of any other benefits, including payment of medical bills.

    Such a settlement (called a Stipulation) must be approved by a workers compensation commissioner.

    If the employee is on Medicare, or is likely to go on Medicare in the near future, the  workers compensation settlement usually must set aside some money for future medical bills and must also be approved by the federal agency that handles Medicare if the settlement is for more than a certain amount.

    If the employee is receiving Social Security Disability, or likely to receive it in the near future, the  workers compensation settlement may result in reduced Social Security Disability payments.  Sometimes this may be avoided if the settlement agreement contains special language.

    An insurance company usually will not close out a  workers compensation case if the employee is still working for the same employer.

    It is possible to close out a  workers compensation case but still have the insurance company pay for future medical bills.  However, this is not very common.

    It is possible to settle just some of the issues in a  workers compensation case through an agreement called a Stipulation-To-Date that leaves the rest of the case open.

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This information is not intended to be legal advice for your individual situation.