The Iowa Supreme Court recently decided the decision greatly benefiting injured workers by holding in Waldinger v. Mettler that an injured worker can receive additional benefits after the case is settled. This decision centered around whether an injured worker who has finished receiving permanent partial disability(PPD) benefits or is receiving permanent partial disability (PDD) benefits can also receive healing period benefits for time off work following a surgery. Before this decision, a worker who sustained a permanent partial injury and had reached maximum medical improvement and returned to work was entitled to receive only permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits for the permanent injury. If further medical treatment was required which necessitated time off work, the injured worker would not be paid for the time off work.

In Mettler, the Supreme Court ruled otherwise. In that decision, an injured worker had received total temporary disability(TTD) benefits and then received permanent partial disability(PPD) benefits upon reaching maximum medical improvement (MMI). Subsequently, further surgery was necessary and the injured worker was off work in excess of 13 days. The employer contended that it was not obligated to pay additional benefits for the time off work. The Supreme Court ruled otherwise in a resounding victory for injured workers. We, at the Beattie Law Firm, are here to help you.