Will your Permanent Total Disability compensation ever increase?
For most workers’ compensation benefits, the answer is no — your rate is locked in at the time of injury.
However, Permanent Total Disability (PTD) is the one exception to the rule. The increase mechanism is through the Disabled Workers’ Relief Fund (DWRF).
DWRF is a separate supplemental fund established under R.C. 4123.412 to ensure that PTD recipients don’t fall below a minimum cost-of-living threshold due to inflation. Here is how it works: if your PTD compensation — when combined with any Social Security Disability benefits you receive — falls below the DWRF qualifying figure, BWC automatically makes up the difference. You do not need to apply; eligible recipients are identified and enrolled automatically when their PTD award is established, and all PTD claims are reviewed annually.
For 2026, the DWRF entry-level figure is $503.26 per week ($2,186.80 per month). This figure adjusts annually under R.C. 4123.62 based on the consumer price index, so it typically rises each year — historically by roughly $10–$20 per week annually, though increases can be smaller or paused in low-inflation years.
One important nuance: if you also receive Social Security Disability (SSD), both your PTD compensation and your SSD are counted together against the DWRF threshold. Social Security retirement, pension benefits, and other non-disability income are not counted. The DWRF payment fills the gap between what you receive and the qualifying figure — no more, no less.
How PTD and DWRF Work Together: Two Examples
Example 1 — Lower-wage worker, no Social Security Disability
A warehouse worker was injured in 2010 when his average weekly wage (AWW) was $450. PTD is paid at 66⅔% of AWW, so his PTD rate is:
$450 × 66.67% = $300.00 per week
The 2026 DWRF entry-level figure is $503.26 per week. Since his PTD rate of $300.00 falls below that threshold, he qualifies for DWRF. BWC automatically supplements his payment:
$503.26 − $300.00 = $203.26 per week in DWRF
His total weekly BWC Compensation is $503.26 — the floor, not a penny more.
Example 2 — Worker receiving both PTD and Social Security Disability
A factory worker was injured in 2008 with an AWW of $600. Her PTD rate is:
$600 × 66.67% = $400.00 per week
She also receives Social Security Disability of $180.00 per week ($780/month). For DWRF purposes, both amounts are combined:
$400.00 (PTD) + $180.00 (SSD) = $580.00 per week combined
Since $580.00 exceeds the 2026 DWRF threshold of $503.26, she does not qualify for DWRF at this time. However, if the DWRF qualifying figure rises in future years while her benefits stay the same — which is exactly what happens over time for older injury-date claims — she may eventually qualify for DWRF supplemental compensation.
Why this matters for older claims: PTD is locked in at the AWW in effect on the date of injury. A worker injured in 2005 earning $400/week receives a PTD rate of roughly $267/week — well below today’s DWRF threshold. As the DWRF qualifying figure rises with inflation each year and fixed-rate PTD recipients fall further behind, more and more older PTD recipients become DWRF-eligible over time. This is precisely the population the fund was designed to protect.
If you are receiving PTD benefits and believe you may be entitled to DWRF supplementation — or if you have questions about whether your rate has been correctly calculated — contact Gruhin & Gruhin at (216) 861-5555 or reach us online for a free consultation.
Read Mike’s free guide: The Officially Unofficial Injured Worker’s Guide to Ohio Workers’ Compensation — no cost, no obligation.
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⚖️ Mike Gruhin — OSBA Board Certified Ohio Workers’ Compensation Specialist Attorney
(Certified 1999–2030).
Board Certification means exceptional competence, experience, and professionalism in workers’ comp law — recognized by the Ohio State Bar Association.
Mike Gruhin and Gruhin & Gruhin, LLC — Fighting for injured workers across Ohio.