Permanent Partial Disability in Ohio

Ohio Revised Code § 4123.57 provides two important forms of permanent partial compensation. Division (A) addresses a percentage of permanent impairment supported by medical or clinical findings. Division (B) lists scheduled awards for specified losses, with separate requirements.

For the body-part schedule and the distinction from settlement value, see our Ohio workers’ comp settlement and award guide. A knee, shoulder or back diagnosis does not automatically produce a fixed settlement amount.

To compare impairment awards with wage-replacement benefits, read our TTD, PPD and PTD comparison.

A percentage award requires lasting impairment tied to the claim’s allowed conditions. You can be back at your job and still have an impairment. The assessment focuses on the permanent medical consequences of the work injury, rather than simply whether your current wages are lower.

Section 4123.57 generally requires waiting at least 26 weeks after the latest period of payments under § 4123.56, or wages paid in their place, ends. If there were no such payments, the period generally runs from the injury or contraction of the occupational disease. Temporary total, wage-loss and salary-continuation history therefore matter when determining the filing date.

Collect the actual payment record before calculating eligibility. Do not use the date of your last doctor visit or the day you returned to work as an automatic substitute. Older claims, prior awards and the claim’s jurisdiction can also affect what request remains available.

Under § 4123.57(A), the ordinary calculation translates each percentage point into two weeks of compensation. The weekly rate is 66⅔% of average weekly wage, capped at one-third of the applicable statewide average weekly wage. The resulting award depends on both the percentage and the correct rate.

The $300 rate is hypothetical. These examples are not settlement offers or predictions about any injury. Prior awards and the statute’s aggregate limits must be considered; special treatment also applies at percentages of 90% or more. A scheduled-loss award uses a different calculation.

Ask to see the wage determination and rating used in your own claim. Comparing your award with a coworker’s check can be misleading if the injury year, wages, allowed conditions or prior percentages differ.

The C-92 is the application for a determination or increase of percentage permanent partial disability. BWC’s percentage PPD policy and procedure describes how applications and supporting information are processed.

For an initial determination, BWC schedules a medical examination and provides the resulting report to the parties. Review whether the examiner considered the correct allowed conditions and accurately recorded the findings. If you cannot attend, address the scheduling problem promptly; ignoring the examination can lead to dismissal of the application.

The rating should be based on medical findings, not on how persuasively you can describe a dollar amount you need. Explain your limitations accurately, bring requested information and avoid minimizing or exaggerating symptoms. Your attorney can assess whether additional medical evidence is needed to address a disputed rating.

A BWC tentative percentage order can be challenged by a written objection within 20 days after receipt under § 4123.57. If an objection is filed on time, the dispute proceeds to a district hearing officer. The employer can object as well as the worker.

After a district hearing officer’s percentage decision, the statute provides a different, 10-day period after receipt for a request for reconsideration, review or modification. Do not assume the 14-day deadline used for many other workers’ compensation orders applies here. Read the particular order and obtain advice promptly.

A challenge should explain the medical disagreement. The issue might be an omitted allowed condition, a finding the report did not address or conflicting examination evidence. Our Industrial Commission hearing guide explains how to prepare for a contested proceeding.

A percentage award does not itself settle the claim. A later request for an increased percentage must meet the applicable evidentiary requirements; the passage of time alone does not establish an increase. New findings or an additional allowed condition may warrant review of whether another C-92 request is supported.

If a settlement has already been signed, its terms matter. Ohio Revised Code § 4123.65 permits agreements resolving specified claims or parts of claims. Have the agreement reviewed before assuming another award remains available.

PPD is also distinct from temporary total compensation, wage-loss benefits and permanent total disability. Each addresses a different legal question, and payment interactions should be evaluated in the actual claim.