Mississippi Permanent Partial Disability Benefits
When you’re injured or ill due to your work, you may qualify for Mississippi workers’ compensation permanent benefits. This includes disability due to sudden injuries, chronic injuries, and work-related illnesses.
You don’t need to prove that your employer was at fault for what happened, which is one of the benefits of workers’ comp. You and your employer can work together to arrange benefits that blunt the impact of your losses.
Generally speaking, there are two types of workers’ comp benefits in Mississippi:
- Medical benefits
- Indemnity benefits, also known as wage replacement
When you also have a partial disability that prevents you from working to your full previous capacity, you could be eligible for permanent partial disability (PPD), which is part of the indemnity benefits. However, as we’ll explain in more detail below, this isn’t a full wage replacement.
Seeking Your Benefits With a Lawyer’s Help
Mississippi workers’ comp medical benefits typically cover all necessary medical expenses that are directly tied to your workplace injury or illness. The indemnity wage replacement benefits cover only a portion of your lost wages.
The amount you receive for wage replacement is based on your income using a calculation that considers what you were previously earning and capable of doing, compared to what you can earn and do now. The calculation can be complicated and should be made with a workers’ comp lawyer’s help.
The Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford, Baskin, & Priebe are dedicated to helping injured workers like you secure the benefits you deserve under state and federal laws. We represent a wide variety of workers who have suffered an injury or illness at work and want to claim the benefits they deserve. Contact us as soon as your workplace injury/illness becomes apparent and we’ll help you understand your options.
Calculating Permanent Partial Disability Benefits in Mississippi
In Mississippi, injured workers are eligible to receive 66 ⅔% of their average weekly wages. This might seem like an odd amount, but the percentage represents two-thirds of your previous weekly pay.
There are weekly limitations in Mississippi that are different from other states like our neighbor, Louisiana. In Mississippi, payments aren’t permitted to exceed 450 weeks or greater than 450 times 66 ⅔% of the average weekly wage
Wondering what kind of weekly payments you might receive for your permanent partial disability? Below is the maximum amount you can receive for a loss to a specific body part. Remember, these are maximums and may only be available to you if you have proper legal support.
Under Mississippi Code 71-3-13(c)(1-26):
- Loss of an arm: 66 ⅔% of wages for 200 weeks
- Loss of a leg: 66 ⅔% of wages for 175 weeks
- Loss of a hand: 66 ⅔% of wages for 150 weeks
- Loss of a foot: 66 ⅔% of wages for 125 weeks
- Loss of an eye: 66 ⅔% of wages for 100 weeks
- Loss of a thumb: 66 ⅔% of wages for 60 weeks
- Loss of first finger: 66 ⅔% of wages for 35 weeks
- Loss of big toe: 66 ⅔% of wages for 30 weeks
- Loss of second finger: 66 ⅔% of wages for 30 weeks
- Loss of third finger: 66 ⅔% of wages for 20 weeks
- Loss of toe other than big toe: 66 ⅔% of wages for 10 weeks
- Loss of fourth finger: 66 ⅔% of wages for 15 weeks
- Loss of one testicle: 66 ⅔% of wages for 50 weeks
- Loss of both testicles: 66 ⅔% of wages for 150 weeks
- Loss of a breast: 66 ⅔% of wages for 50 weeks
- Loss of both breasts: 66 ⅔% of wages for 150 weeks
- Loss of hearing (one ear): 66 ⅔% of wages for 40 weeks
- Loss of hearing (both ears): 66 ⅔% of wages for 150 weeks
- Loss of first phalange of a digit: Equal to ½ of the amount specified above
- Loss of more than one phalange of a digit: Equal to the full amount for digit specified above
- Arm amputated at or above wrist equals loss of arm: 66 ⅔% of wages for 200 weeks
- Leg amputated at or above ankle equals loss of leg: 66 ⅔% of wages for 175 weeks
- Loss of 80% of vision or binocular vision equals loss of eye: 66 ⅔% of wages for 100 weeks
- Loss of two or more digits or one or more phalanges of two or more digits on the hand equals loss of hand: 66 ⅔% of wages for 150 weeks
- Loss of two or more digits or one or more phalanges of two or more digits on the foot equals loss of foot: 66 ⅔% of wages for 125 weeks
- Total loss of use of a member is equal to amputation/loss of member: Amount specified above
- Serious facial or head disfigurement: $5,000 lump sum
Other special circumstances involve permanent partial disability but don’t fit within the bounds described above. In these other serious situations with impairment or disability, payment is often assigned at 66 ⅔% of average weekly wages and the earning capacity after the injury.
Mississippi PPD benefits only represent the minimum that an injured worker can receive. You could also be eligible for other benefits first or following your PPD benefits, such as temporary total disability (TTD) benefits.
You Need an Experienced Mississippi Workers’ Comp Attorney
Sustaining a permanent partial disability due to a workplace injury or illness can shake up your entire life. Workers’ comp and permanent partial disability benefits can ease the stress of your situation and prevent financial instability.
At Lunsford, Baskin, & Priebe, we have years of experience practicing exclusively in the area of workers’ compensation law. We’ll help you secure your PPD benefits promptly and fully, supporting you throughout the process.
For help with a Mississippi workers’ compensation claim, please contact the workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford, Baskin, & Priebe for a free consultation.
