Lifetime Disability Payment

If an employee is injured in the job and is unable to work ever again, doing any job, for any employer, then the workers' compensation insurance company must pay the injured work a small weekly pension for the rest of his life. This benefit is called permanent total disability, or PTD.

To calculate the PTD benefit, use 67% of the employee's average weekly wage (or the maximum weekly amount allowed by law, which ever is less).

For example, if the employee makes $10 per hour, 40 hours per week, then 67% of his average weekly wage is $266.80 ($10x40x.667=$266.80). Thus, the employee's permanent total disability payment is $266.80 per week for the rest of his life.

Important Tip: Choose your own doctor! Most often, doctors recommended by your insurance company or the adjuster work for them, not for you. Under Utah law, you have the right to change doctors one time—to a doctor that you choose. The doctor you choose tells the insurance company whether or not you are permanently and totally disabled and should receive a small weekly pension.

Note: If you qualify for a lifetime disability payment, you probably also qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. You cannot collect the maximum amounts of both benefits at the same time, but being declared disabled by the Social Security Administration will help your workers' compensation claim, and vice versa.