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Impairment Income Benefits (IIBs) In Texas Workers’ Comp Cases

You may be entitled to Impairment Income Benefits (IIBs) if you have a permanent impairment from a work-related injury or illness. Generally, Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) is reached when you are as well as you are going to be from the work-related injury or illness. This does not mean that you will not need to follow up care with your health care provider, be completely pain free, or that you are released to return to work. When the health care provider determines you have reached MMI, the health care provider will determine if there is any permanent physical damage. The health care provider will assign an impairment rating (IR) using the 2nd Edition of the American Medical Associations (AMA) Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. The impairment rating describes the degree of permanent damage to your body as a whole.

If the injured employee has not previously reached maximum medical improvement, the workers’ compensation law establishes MMI at 104 weeks. A doctor that is certified by the Division to do Impairment Rating examinations must make an assessment of permanent impairment on whether the work-related injury or illness has been resolved or not. If an IR has not been assigned before the 104-week date when your temporary income benefits (TIBs) end, you may not receive IIBs until a doctor assigns an IR. TIBs can no longer be paid after 104 weeks (or maximum medical improvement). Your impairment rating determines whether you are eligible for IIBs. Three (3) weeks of IIBs are paid for each percentage of impairment.

Amount of Impairment Income Benefits

Impairment Income Benefits equal 70 percent of your average weekly wage (AWW). There is a state maximum for impairment income benefits just as there is for TIBs. The maximum for IIBs is 70 percent of the state AWW.

For example, if your Average Weekly Wage is $600, your Impairment Income benefits (IIBs) rate would be $420.

Average weekly wage $600
70 percent of $600 = $420

If your average weekly wage were $500, your IIBs rate would be $350.

Average weekly wage $500
70 percent of $500 = $350

When Impairment Benefits Begin and End

You become eligible for Impairment Income Benefits (IIBs) the day after you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI). IIBs end after you have received a total of three (3) weeks of payments for each percentage of your impairment rating.

For example, if you have an impairment rating of 6 percent, you would receive a total of 18 weeks of IIBs. Let Texas Workers Compensation Lawyers help you today.

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Texas Workers’ Compensation laws are complex and impact many areas of an injured workers’ life and future. The insurance carrier has one goal: to limit or dispute your medical care and your entitlement to income benefits. Call 888-434-COMP (888-434-2667) and talk to our hard-working, experienced workers’ comp lawyers. You owe it to yourself to talk to an attorney who can help you understand your rights, responsibilities and options in this difficult time of your life. The call is free, there is no obligation, and all conversations are kept strictly confidential. Call today.

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