Permanent Disability Ratings in Washington's Workers' Comp System

“Permanent partial disability,” or “PPD” as it is sometimes known, is a monetary award under the Washington workers’ compensation system that compensates injured workers for permanent impairments resulting from a work-related injury or occupational disease.

Who Is Eligible to Receive a Permanent Partial Disability Award in Washington?

All injured workers with a work-related injury or occupational disease claim may be eligible for a permanent partial disability award in Washington. Your treating doctor for workers' comp will help assess whether you have permanent impairment as a result of your workplace injury or occupational disease.

Permanent impairment does not necessarily mean that you have complete, permanent loss of function. (That is permanent total disability.) A permanent impairment is any decrease in bodily function or ability that's attributable to your workers’ compensation claim. For example, a permanent impairment can be decreased range of motion, less lung capacity following a toxic exposure, or even just receiving surgery under your workers’ compensation claim.

If you have lost bodily function or capabilities or you have physical limitations due to your work-related injury or occupational disease, you are likely eligible for a permanent partial disability award in Washington.

Who Determines the Degree of Permanent Impairment?

To determine the degree of your permanent bodily impairment due to your workplace injury, and thus help establish the amount of your permanent partial disability award, a doctor will rate your permanent partial impairment.

Some treating doctors perform examinations to assess the level of permanent impairment of their patients; other physicians let an independent medical examiner do the rating. Independent medical examiners frequently evaluate injured workers and perform rating examinations to assess the degree of permanent impairment resulting from an industrial claim.

The doctor will rate your permanent impairment according to either the Washington Administrative Code or the American Medical Association’s Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. The doctor evaluating your condition will know which evaluation method to use, as it depends on the body part involved.

In some cases, your doctor and an independent medical examiner will both offer opinions regarding your permanent partial disability rating. While multiple physicians may agree, the physicians may not agree on the rating. If this is the case in your situation, seek an attorney immediately. An attorney can help argue for the higher permanent impairment rating, so that you receive the highest monetary payment possible.

How Much Money are the Permanent Partial Disability Awards?

Permanent disability awards vary greatly, depending on your date of injury and degree of bodily impairment resulting from your industrial injury or occupational disease.

Each year, the Department of Labor and Industries establishes a new schedule of benefits. The schedule lists the dollar values of each degree of impairment for every body part. The amount of your permanent partial disability award is determined by the monetary value of the impairment rating for the schedule of benefits in effect on the date of your workers’ compensation claim.

Awards may be as small as a few hundred dollars, to over $100,000.

When Are Permanent Partial Disability Awards Determined?

When your employer submits your workers’ compensation claim to the Department of Labor and Industries for claim closure, the Department will look at your medical records and determine your permanent partial disability award. Your closing order will state the amount of permanent impairment resulting from your work-related injury or occupational disease and the dollar amount of the permanent partial disability award.

When Are Permanent Partial Disability Awards Issued?

After the Department of Labor and Industries issues the closing order, your employer or the Department will pay you the permanent partial disability award directly. If your employer is self-insured, you will receive payment from your employer; if your employer is not self-insured, you will receive payment from the Department.

Getting Legal Help

If you believe you have suffered any type of permanent impairment as a result of your workers' compensation claim, you should strongly consider hiring an attorney to assist with your workers’ compensation claim. An attorney can argue on your behalf to ensure you receive all of the permanent partial disability awards that you are eligible for, and can usually get you a higher award than if you represent yourself.

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