Injury by Accident
An interruption of the regular work routine and the introduction of unusual circumstances,such as a slip, trip, fall or other unusual activity likely to result in unexpected consequences.
Specific Traumatic Incident (STI)
Trauma not occurring gradually, but rather as the result of an event during a cognizable time period, causing a back injury or hernia.
Occupational Disease
A condition is a compensable occupational disease if the conditions of the employment were a significant contributing factor to its development and the employee was exposed to an increased risk of contracting it, as opposed to merely aggravating it.
Average Weekly Wage (AWW)
The employee’s average pre-injury earnings in the employment of injury. It is typically calculated on the 52 weeks of earnings priorto the date of the injury. Benefits are paid at 2/3 of the employee’s AWW.
Suitable Employment (Post MMI)
A job the employee is capable of performing while considering physical limitations, education, experience and vocational skills and is located within a 50 mile radius of employee’s residence. (For claims filed on or after June 24, 2011.)
Return to Work
For claims arising prior to June 24, 2011, any job offered to an employee has to be suitable (cannot be make work), regardless of whether employee has reached MMI.