TTD, TPD, PPD, and PTD are four different kinds of wage or permanency benefits in Illinois workers’ compensation, and they apply at different stages of a claim. The letters stand for temporary total disability, temporary partial disability, permanent partial disability, and permanent total disability. Knowing which one you are on, or may be eligible for, helps you understand a check, a denial, or a settlement discussion.
TTD: temporary total disability
TTD is paid while you are temporarily unable to work at all because of the injury, and you are still healing. It is the usual benefit during a period off work after surgery, or while a doctor keeps you off work completely. TTD generally ends when you return to work, reach maximum medical improvement, or a doctor releases you to work in some form, depending on the facts.
TPD: temporary partial disability
TPD applies while you are still healing but you are working light duty or part-time at reduced pay because of the injury. It is meant to help cover part of the difference between your usual earnings and the reduced earnings while you work under restrictions. If light duty is not offered, or you cannot do the job offered, the benefit type may change, so keep a record of the offer and your restrictions.
PPD: permanent partial disability
PPD is a benefit for a permanent loss of use or function after you have reached maximum medical improvement. It is decided after treatment ends, based on factors such as the medical findings, the body part affected, and the effect on work. PPD is often the subject of a settlement or an award at the Commission, and it is distinct from pain-and-suffering damages, which workers’ compensation does not pay.
PTD: permanent total disability
PTD applies where a worker is permanently unable to return to any gainful work because of the injury. It is the most serious permanency category, and it is decided on the worker’s overall ability to work, not on a single body part alone. PTD involves long-term benefits and different rules, including interaction with Social Security in some cases, so get advice about your own numbers.
How they fit together
- Temporary benefits (TTD and TPD) cover the healing period.
- Permanent benefits (PPD and PTD) are decided after healing, at maximum medical improvement.
- A worker may receive temporary benefits first, then a permanency benefit later.
- Vocational rehabilitation and wage-differential benefits can also be involved where a worker cannot return to the old job.
Next steps
- Keep every work-status note and light-duty offer with your payment letters.
- Ask in writing which benefit type a check is for, and what period it covers.
- Do not sign a settlement without understanding which permanency benefit it is meant to cover.
Related guides and questions
Read Benefits Overview and MMI, Settlement vs. Award. For help with a benefit dispute, see Connect With a Lawyer.
Verify against the IWCC
Rules and procedures can depend on the facts of a case. Check the current rules with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission before relying on anything on this page. If you are seriously hurt, get emergency care first.
This page is general information only. It is not medical advice, not legal advice, and this site is not a law firm. See the Disclaimer.