How long can injured workers receive temporary total disability benefits?

The duration for which injured workers can receive temporary total disability benefits in West Virginia is contingent upon their ability to return to suitable work or their reaching maximum medical improvement. This framework is established to ensure that benefits are provided while the worker cannot perform their job due to the injury, but they are scaled back once the worker's condition improves to a point where they can either return to work or no longer require the level of support they have been receiving.

Receiving benefits until the worker is able to return to suitable work acknowledges the recovery process and the need for financial support during that time. If a worker reaches maximum medical improvement, it indicates that their condition has stabilized, and they are not expected to improve further, which typically necessitates a reassessment of their ability to work and the continuation of benefits.

In contrast, options like indefinite benefits or specific age limits do not align with the objective of providing temporary assistance that is responsive to the worker's actual medical and occupational status. The focus is on recovery and re-entering the workforce, making the specified conditions for the duration of benefits both practical and fair for injured workers.