TTD vs PPD in Utah: What Injured Workers Get Wrong

Workers' comp acronyms get mixed up all the time. TTD and PPD sound similar, sometimes overlap in timing, and most workers don't realize they're entitled to both.

Here is the short version, then the long version with examples.

The short version

• TTD = Temporary Total Disability. Replaces lost wages while you can't work at all. Paid weekly while you're off work.
• PPD = Permanent Partial Disability. Compensates you for permanent loss of body function once you've healed as much as you're going to heal. Paid as a lump-sum or weekly stream after MMI.
• They are separate buckets. You can collect both — TTD first, then PPD after MMI.

TTD — the basics

TTD kicks in the moment your doctor takes you off work. The Utah formula:

TTD weekly = Average Weekly Wage × 66.67%

Your Average Weekly Wage (AWW) is normally the average of the 52 weeks before the injury, including overtime and bonuses. If you worked less than a year, it's averaged over what you did work.

In 2026, the Utah TTD rate is capped at roughly $1,098/week (the maximum, tied to 100% of the state average wage). The minimum is around $45/week.

When TTD stops

Three triggers:

1. Your doctor releases you to full duty — TTD stops.
2. Your doctor releases you to light duty AND your employer offers you a job at that light duty — TTD stops (or converts to TPD, Temporary Partial Disability, if the new wages are lower).
3. You reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) — TTD stops and PPD eligibility starts.

PPD — the basics

PPD kicks in after MMI. It compensates you for the permanent loss of function — the part of your body that won't fully recover.

Step 1: The impairment rating

Once you hit MMI, your doctor (or an Independent Medical Examiner) assigns an impairment rating using the AMA Guides to Permanent Impairment. The rating is a percentage:

• 5% impairment of the whole person → small injury (sprain that healed with residual limitation)
• 10% impairment → moderate (rotator cuff with residual range-of-motion loss)
• 20%+ impairment → significant (fused vertebrae, amputation, traumatic brain injury)

Step 2: The PPD formula

PPD = Impairment % × 312 weeks × TTD weekly rate

Example: Worker earning $1,000/week, 15% impairment rating.

• TTD weekly: $1,000 × 0.6667 = $667
• PPD weeks: 15% × 312 = 46.8 weeks
• PPD total: 46.8 × $667 = $31,215

How PPD is paid

PPD can be paid weekly (until exhausted) OR as a lump-sum settlement. Lump-sum requires Labor Commission approval and is typically discounted slightly for the time value of money.

The 4 mistakes injured workers make confusing TTD and PPD

Mistake 1: Settling the case before MMI

If you accept a settlement before your doctor declares MMI, you may be locking in a PPD value before knowing how much permanent damage you really have. Wait for MMI.

Mistake 2: Confusing PPD with TTD continuation

PPD is not "TTD that keeps going." PPD is a separate, additional benefit. You can collect TTD AND later collect PPD — they don't cancel each other.

Mistake 3: Accepting the first impairment rating without a second opinion

Insurance-paid doctors tend to assign lower ratings than independent doctors. A 5% vs 10% impairment difference on a $1,000/week worker is $15,600 of PPD. Get a second opinion if the rating feels low.

Mistake 4: Forgetting that TTD pays the first 3 days only if you're off >14 days

Utah's 3-day waiting period only retroactively pays if your disability lasts more than 14 days. If you're off work 5 days, you get TTD for days 4 and 5, not 1-5. If you're off 16 days, you get TTD for all 16 days including 1-3.

Calculate your TTD and PPD in 5 minutes

Plug your AWW and impairment % (or estimated %) into the CVR Quick Calculator. It does the math both for TTD and PPD using current 2026 Utah rates.