When a workplace injury leaves you with a permanent condition, Georgia workers’ compensation law provides two different benefit categories depending on the severity of that condition. Understanding which applies to your situation can make a difference in what you receive and for how long.
The difference between PPD and PTD
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) applies when a work injury leaves you with lasting impairment but you can still perform some form of work. It compensates you for the loss or loss of use of a specific body part, not necessarily for lost wages.
Permanent Total Disability (PTD) covers workers whose injuries have permanently taken away their ability to hold any type of job. In Georgia, PTD requires a catastrophic injury designation, which removes the standard 400-week cap and allows benefits to continue indefinitely.
How PPD benefits are calculated
PPD benefits begin once your doctor determines your condition has stabilized, a point called Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). At that stage, your doctor assigns an impairment rating based on a standard medical guide called the AMA Guides, 5th Edition.
Georgia law then assigns a fixed number of weeks to each injured body part. Common examples include:
- Arm: 225 weeks
- Leg: 225 weeks
- Hand: 160 weeks
- Foot: 135 weeks
- Back or whole body: 300 weeks
To calculate your benefit, multiply your impairment rating by the weeks assigned to your body part, then multiply that by two-thirds of your average weekly wage. For injuries on or after July 1, 2023, Georgia law sets the maximum weekly rate at $800. As an example, a 10% arm rating with a $400 weekly benefit rate yields approximately $9,000 in total PPD benefits.
How PTD benefits work
When an injury receives a catastrophic designation, total disability benefits can continue for your lifetime with no 400-week cap. Georgia law recognizes the following as potentially catastrophic:
- Loss of both arms, hands, legs or feet, or any combination of two
- Permanent total loss of vision in both eyes
- Severe paralysis, including paraplegia or quadriplegia
- Severe traumatic brain injury causing permanent loss of function
Losing two major body parts creates a legal presumption of permanent total disability, though the insurer can challenge it. PTD benefits are calculated at two-thirds of your average weekly wage with no time limit for qualifying cases.
Which category applies to your case
PPD applies when you have a permanent impairment but can still work in some capacity. PTD applies when your injury permanently prevents you from returning to any employment.
Impairment ratings affect PPD value, and the difference between a catastrophic and non-catastrophic designation can mean capped versus lifetime benefits. If you believe your doctor assigned too low a rating or the insurer misclassified your injury, speaking with a workers’ compensation attorney may help you recover the full benefits you deserve.
