What Benefits Are You Entitled To Under DC Workers’ Compensation?
District of Columbia law answers that question clearly: every injured employee is owed immediate medical care, wage-loss payments, disability awards, career retraining, and—if the unthinkable happens—death benefits for the family. For 2025, wage benefits can reach $1,808.66 per week with a floor of $452.17, both indexed to the District’s average weekly wage.
If you were hurt at work and need help today, call 202-544-2888 to speak with a top rated workplace accident attorney at Robinson & Geraldo, PC—the sooner you assert your rights, the sooner your payments start.
A chef on Pennsylvania Avenue slips on a wet tile, feels a sharp pop in his lower back, and suddenly worries about more than the pain—how will he cover rent while he is off the line?
1. Comprehensive Medical Care Benefits
DC’s statute follows a broad “cure-and-relieve” standard: any service that reduces pain, restores function, or prevents further deterioration is compensable. That umbrella covers ambulance rides, imaging, specialist referrals, durable medical equipment, mental-health counseling, and even alternative modalities such as acupuncture when prescribed. Importantly, § 32-1507 also requires the employer to keep you on the same group health plan you had before the accident as long as you are receiving—or merely eligible to receive—workers’ compensation.
Bills must be paid “promptly when due.” If an insurer drags its feet, the Office of Workers’ Compensation (OWC) can impose 10 % annual interest plus attorney-fee shifting, so you never pay out-of-pocket for enforcing your rights. Many claimants overlook travel costs; submit mileage logs or Metro receipts within 30 days to secure full reimbursement for every trip to treatment.
2. Temporary Total Disability (TTD)
Average weekly wage (AWW) is the linchpin of every income benefit. DC calculates it by dividing total earnings from all covered employment during the 26 weeks before injury by the number of weeks worked. Seasonal or part-time employees may use a “similar employee” formula to avoid unfairly low numbers.
Once established, the insurer must mail your first check within 14 days of learning that disability has lasted three days; thereafter payments are due every two weeks. If a carrier pays late without “good cause outside its control,” a mandatory 20 % penalty attaches automatically.
TTD terminates only when a treating physician releases you to actual light duty the employer can provide, or when you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI). An independent medical exam cannot unilaterally cut off benefits—the carrier must obtain a formal modification order from OWC.
3. Temporary Partial Disability (TPD)
Light duty that reduces hours or eliminates overtime often slashes take-home pay. TPD restores two-thirds of that shortfall for up to five years under § 32-1508(5). A worker may toggle between TTD and TPD as medical restrictions change; for example, TTD during surgery recovery, TPD when limited to four-hour shifts, then back to TTD if complications arise. Keep every pay-stub—OWC requires documentary proof of the week-by-week wage gap before it orders reimbursement.
4. Loss of Wage-Earning Capacity (LWEC)
When MMI is reached yet residual restrictions force you into permanently lower-pay work, DC treats the situation as an unscheduled permanent disability. Payments equal two-thirds of the ongoing wage differential and can continue indefinitely if you show that the labor market will never pay you your pre-injury rate. Vocational experts retained by a skilled workplace injury attorney in Columbia quantify local job availability, typical wages, and your transferable skills; their reports are crucial for keeping LWEC open past the initial review period.
5. Permanent Partial Disability (PPD)
The schedule assigns from 16 weeks (little finger) to 288 weeks (leg) for a total loss. Unsightly scars to the face, neck, or hands also qualify, with judges setting fair numbers based on photographs and live testimony. The award is payable in addition to any TTD or LWEC previously received. Because insurers prefer conservative ratings, claimants often obtain a second permanency opinion—paid by the carrier if the first exam appears biased. The two reports are averaged unless OWC finds one more persuasive, so thorough narrative reasoning and objective measurements (grip-strength, range-of-motion) matter.
6. Permanent Total Disability (PTD)
PTD does not require 100 % medical impairment; rather, it asks whether any employment yielding “gainful” wages exists within your physical and vocational profile. Loss of two major members (e.g., both legs) triggers a statutory presumption of total disability, shifting the burden to the insurer to prove employability. Payments are capped at the same weekly maximum but include an annual supplementary allowance—effectively a built-in raise—linked to the Consumer Price Index and capped at 5 %. Carriers often revisit PTD every three years, so keeping medical proofs current is vital.
7. Annual COLA
Under § 32-1506(d), every January that District employees receive a raise, injured workers on long-term benefits receive one, too. The adjustment uses the prior year’s CPI-U for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria and cannot exceed 5 %—still a powerful hedge against rising rent and groceries. OWC publishes new maximum and minimum comp rates each December; insurers must apply the COLA to all ongoing PTD, LWEC, and death-benefit checks issued after January 1.
8. Vocational Rehabilitation & Maintenance Stipends Benefits
The insurer pays for aptitude testing, résumé workshops, tuition, books, tools, and job-placement services, with plans customized to lead to “suitable gainful” employment in the current economy. While actively participating, you also receive a $50 weekly maintenance payment plus continued wage-loss compensation if schooling prevents you from working. You have the right to reject a proposed plan once, but must offer an alternative that better suits your background and medical limits.
9. Mileage, Meals, and Other Reimbursements
DC follows the federal mileage rate (62 cents per mile in 2025) for private-car travel to appointments; Metro fare cards and Uber receipts are reimbursed at full cost. If treatment requires you to remain out of town overnight, reasonable lodging and meal allowances must be advanced or repaid promptly. Submit form OWC-24 within 30 days; penalties for late reimbursement mirror those for untimely wage checks.
10. Attendant Care, Home Health, and Accessibility Modifications
Serious spinal or brain injuries may require round-the-clock skilled nursing or basic attendant services like bathing and meal preparation. DC allows family members to be compensated at market rates for providing such care when a doctor certifies the need. Structural changes—widened doorways, wheelchair ramps, roll-in showers—fall under the same medical-benefit umbrella if medically prescribed.
Get Real Results for Your DC Work Injury
Your right to medical care, wage replacement, and disability awards is too valuable to risk on guesswork; Robinson & Geraldo, PC has spent decades forcing insurers to honor every dollar the DC Workers’ Compensation Act promises—call 202-544-2888 or send a message through our secure form today and let proven advocates protect your livelihood, your recovery, and your future.
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