You could receive permanent partial, permanent total or temporary total disability benefits when you apply for workers’ compensation in New Jersey. What type of benefits you qualify for depends on the extent of your disability.

Gainful employment

You are likely to receive permanent total workers’ compensation benefits rather than permanent partial if you are unable to return to gainful employment. When the state issues permanent total benefits, you receive them for an initial 450 weeks. If, after an assessment, you are still unable to work at a gainful employment level, you can continue to receive the benefits.

Lost limbs

If you lost two major parts of your body, then you qualify for permanent total workers’ compensation. Parts of the body that are major include the eyes, feet, legs, arms and hands.

Eligibility after seven days

Injured workers who are unable to return to work after seven days qualify for temporary disability benefits. You could receive permanent partial or permanent total benefits once more time has passed and you are still physically unable to return to gainful employment. Temporary disability pays you 70% of your average weekly wage without going over 75% of the Statewide Average Weekly Wage or falling under 20% of the Statewide Average Weekly Wage.

Disability isn’t always permanent

Some people recover with time from a health condition that causes them disability. It’s possible for you to receive disability benefits for years until you are no longer in need of them if your health condition improves enough or you manage to work at the legal gainful employment level.

Essentially, the difference between partial and total disability is that you can still work but not to full capacity with a partial disability. Whether your work injury has left you partially or totally disabled, you may qualify for these specific workers’ compensation benefits.