How Lost Wage Benefits Are Calculated after a Workplace Injury

August 30, 2026

If you’ve suffered an injury on the job, the matter of your lost income is of critical concern, and knowing how this category of compensation is calculated is of critical importance. If a work-related injury keeps you off the job, you can seek disability benefits that will cover a specific portion of your lost earnings. Reach out for the professional legal counsel of our experienced Greenwood workers’ comp attorneys at Nicholson, Meredith & Anderson today.

Temporary Disability Benefits

Workers’ compensation awards temporary disability benefits that break down into total and partial benefits.

Temporary Total Disability Benefits

If the injury you sustained at work keeps you off the job for at least seven consecutive days, you are entitled to temporary total disability (TTD) benefits. TTD is calculated as two-thirds of your average weekly wage. Both a maximum and a minimum apply. These benefits continue until your treating physician releases you as ready to return to work, a point called maximum medical improvement (MMI).

Temporary Partial Disability Benefits

If the injury you incurred on the job leaves you able to continue working but unable to earn at the same level, temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits apply. For example, if your doctor puts you on work restrictions that limit the type of work you can perform or the number of hours you can put in, you can seek TPD benefits. These are calculated as two-thirds of the difference between what your average weekly wages were prior to being injured and what you’re able to earn after.

Once You’ve Reached Maximum Medical Improvement

Once your doctor determines that you’ve reached MMI, which is the point at which your health is not expected to improve any further, there are several potential paths forward.

Permanent Impairment Rating

If you’re determined to have suffered a permanent impairment, a permanent impairment rating will be assigned. This will translate to a final disability financial award that is determined by state guidelines.

Permanent Total Disability

If you suffer a catastrophic loss that prevents you from working at all, you are entitled to permanent total disability (PTD) benefits for up to 500 weeks or for life.

Permanent Partial Disability

If your injury is defined as a permanent partial disability, it may be addressed by either weekly compensation or by a lump sum that reflects the rating for the body part in question.

Cases involving permanent disabilities are often resolved as negotiated lump-sum final settlements. This highlights the importance of having a formidable workers’ compensation lawyer backing you up from the start.

Turn to Our Experienced Greenwood Workers’ Comp Lawyers for the Help You Need

The dedicated Greenwood workers’ compensation attorneys at Nicholson, Meredith & Anderson have an impressive reputation for fierce advocacy on behalf of our clients’ financial rights, and we’re here for you, too. For more information about what we can do to help, please don’t put off reaching out by contacting us online or giving our firm a call at 864-229-7241 today.