Total Disability – Missouri Permanent Total Disability

Permanent and Total disability (PTD) in addition to medical care for life.

You can be permanent and totally disabled (PTD) 2 ways under Missouri workers compensation. Either way pays the same amount. First, if your work injury is severe enough to cause you to be unemployable in the open labor market regardless of any pre-existing medical conditions, you have a PTD claim against the employer. Second, if your work injury is not severe enough to keep you from working, but the combination of your work injury and your pre-existing conditions cause you to be unemployable, you have a PTD claim against the Second Injury Fund.

Missouri Workers compensation laws provide for either permanent partial disability (PPD) compensation if you can return to work after you are released by the doctor. PPD is based upon a percentage of disability assessed by a doctor. For perm partial cases, a physician will provide an opinion such as “35% PPD to the back as a result of the injury, surgery, and resulting pain.” The insurance company doctors usually assess a very low percentage of disability. However, to counter the low rating of the insurance company doctor, after your treatment is over and you have reached the point of maximum medical improvement (MMI), our lawyer will obtain your medical records and send you to a physician for an opinion on permanency. The insurance company doctors rarely, if every, issue reports that the patient is unable to work for life due to the work injury. I have seen insurance company doctors release patients, who are construction workers or warehouse workers, in severe pain after 3 level lumbar fusions with minimal restrictions. My client attempts to work but is in too much pain. It is very important at this time to request all records, all diagnostic studies, and send them to experts, such as doctors and vocational, for opinions on whether the injured worker is employable in the open labor market. Your attorney spending money for expert opinions is critical towards resolving your case. How much compensation you receive depends on how hard your attorney fights for you.

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Future medical for life for your work injury?

Have you suffered a work injury that will require pain medication for life; or surgery in the future; a brace; or annual doctor visits? If so, your lawyer should pursue a claim that includes future medical for your life. Workers’ compensation should cover all necessary medical expenses for your injury for the rest of your life. At the Law Office of James Hoffmann, we have obtained numerous trial awards and settlements mandating that the work comp insurer pay future medical, such as pain management, doctor visits, and surgery, for life for back injuries, neck injuries, knee replacements, hip replacements, and shoulder injuries.

Contact Us Regarding your Permanent Total Disability Benefits

From our offices in St. Louis, Missouri, we help injured workers throughout the state of Missouri come up with plans for your future after your Permanent Total Disability. Handling workers compensation cases on a contingency basis, we do not charge attorney fees unless we help you recover benefits. Please call (314) 361-4300. You can also complete our Online Case Evaluation Form. All communications are returned promptly.

Workers Compensation Benefits Missouri