What is "permanent total disability"?

 

A: A permanent total disability occurs when the work injury is so serious that you're not going to be able to return to a steady, paid job.  Rarely, however, does an insurer accept a claim for permanent total disability without a fight.  That's because the law places upon you the legal "burden-of-proof," meaning you have to prove you can't return to work.  Proof of permanent total disability must come from you, even if it already is obvious to you and obvious to your primary care doctor that you won't be able to return to work due to the work injury.  Proof of permanent total disability usually requires a supportive result from a Functional Capacity Evaluation and a supportive vocational expert opinion as well as supportive expert medical opinion.  If you plan to claim "permanent total disability benefits" in your workers' compensation case, it is important to consider the impact on other benefits such as Social Security Disability, Medicare, Medicaid.  It is also important to know the benefits available by negotiating a lump sum settlement of your workers' compensation case. 




Charles L. Powell represents injured workers throughout Vermont and is available to speak with injured workers in all Vermont counties and towns including:
Windsor County - Andover, Baltimore, Barnard, Bethel, Bridgewater, Cavendish, Chester, Chester Depot, Hartford, White River Junction, Wilder, Hartland, Ludlow, Ludlow Village, Norwich, Plymouth, Pomfret, Reading, Rochester, Royalton, Sharon, Springfield, Stockbridge, Weathersfield, Perkinsville, West Windsor, Weston, Windsor, Woodstock and Woodstock Village
Windham County - Athens, Brattleboro, West Brattleboro, Brookline, Dover, Dummerston, Grafton, Guilford, Algiers, Halifax, Jamaica, Londonderry, Marlboro, Newfane, Newfane Village, Putney, Rockingham, Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Somerset, Stratton, Townshend, Harmonyville, West Townshend, Vernon, Wardsboro, Westminster, North Westminster, Whitingham, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Windham and South Windham
Orange County - Bradford, Braintree, Brookfield, Chelsea, Corinth, Fairlee, Newbury, Orange, Randolph, Strafford, Thetford, Topsham, Tunbridge, Vershire, Washington, West Fairlee and Williamstown
Washington County - Barre, Websterville, Berlin, Cabot, Cabot Village, Calais, Duxbury, East Montpelier, Fayston, Marshfield, Marshfield Village, Middlesex, Montpelier, Moretown, Northfield, Northfield Village, Plainfield, Roxbury, Waitsfield, Warren, Waterbury, Waterbury Village, Woodbury and Worcester
Caledonia County - Barnet, Burke, West Burke, Danville, Groton, Hardwick, East Hardwick, Mackville, Kirby, Lyndon, Lyndonville, Lyndon Center, East Lyndon, Newark, Peacham, Ryegate, South Ryegate, East Ryegate, Center Ryegate, Sheffield, St. Johnsbury, St. Johnsbury Center, Stannard, Sutton, Walden, Waterford and Wheelock
Chittenden County - Bolton, Burlington, Charlotte, Colchester, Essex, Essex Junction, Hinesburg, Huntington, Jericho, Milton, Richmond, Shelburne, South Burlington, St. George, Underhill, Westford, Williston and Winooski.



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White River Junction Office

Gates-Briggs Building, Suite 312
5 South Main Street
White River Junction, VT 05001 Get Directions

Testimonials

  • Thank you Charles , so much for helping me through the hardest time in my life . I had no fight in me and you did it for me while being patient, compassionate and looking out for me , for my benefit .
    I'm in such a better place now , Thanks to you and your staff . Your staff are so wonderful , a joy to work with , just really GREAT PEOPLE !!

    I Thank You , to all of you . THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING .

    Thank you , Tammy Kemp
  • I can go on and on regarding how great this place is. Chip and his associates made this whole workers’ compensation time in my life a lot easier... (Joseph Scroggins)
  • I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff for the superb representation and moral support I received during my case.
  • I retained the legal services of Charles Powell to represent myself when it came to workman’s compensation and issues that I had to deal with during my recovery.

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