Allowed Condition
A specific diagnosis or body part the BWC has officially recognized as covered. Only allowed conditions receive medical treatment and money payments.
Always list every injured body part on your FROI — even minor ones. Omitting one may permanently keep it from being added to your claim.
AWW
Average Weekly Wage
Your average weekly earnings over the 52 weeks before injury. AWW is the single most important number in your claim — used to calculate every form of compensation from week 13 onward. If you’ve worked at multiple employers during the 52-week period prior to your injury date, or if you were unemployed for justifiable reasons, the BWC routinely miscalculates it.
A low AWW means lower payments for the entire life of your claim.
ADR
Alternative Dispute Resolution
A process for resolving medical treatment disputes between the injured worker and the MCO without a formal IC hearing. ADR can be faster than the traditional hearing process for C-9 denials.
BWC
Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
The state agency that manages the workers’ comp insurance fund for most Ohio employers. The BWC’s goal is to manage and protect the state fund — not to maximize your benefits. Keep in mind that your BWC claims specialist works for the BWC, not for you. Visit bwc.ohio.gov.
C-9
Medical Treatment Authorization Form
The form your doctor submits to the MCO requesting approval for treatment. Treatment without an approved C-9 often goes unpaid — the cost becomes your personal responsibility.
Watch for C-9s authorized "with a disclaimer" — the BWC may later deny payment.
Claim Number
The ID number the BWC assigns after your FROI is filed. Without a claim number, your claim does not legally exist. Every order, medical payment, and check is tied to this number.
CMS
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Federal agency administering Medicare and Medicaid. In certain settlements, CMS (Medicare and/or Medicaid) may need to be taken into consideration and/or review and approve a Medicare Set-Aside (MSA). Failure to properly account for CMS’s interest in the settlement of the medical portion of your claim is a recipe for disaster. Certain settlements may require CMS approval — without it, Medicare can refuse future medical coverage. Make sure you discuss the CMS issue with your attorney before you settle the medical component of your BWC claim.
C-84
Request for Temporary Total Compensation
The form your physician submits to request TTD (Temporary Total Disability) payments on your behalf. A new C-84 must be filed for each extension period. Without an approved C-84, TTD payments cannot begin or continue.
TTD payments stop without a current, approved C-84 on file.
C-92
BWC Medical Examination
An examination ordered by the BWC or employer to evaluate your condition, often at key decision points like MMI determination or PPD evaluation. Attendance is mandatory — failure to appear can result in suspension of benefits.
You must attend. Missing a C-92 can suspend your benefits.
C-17
Outpatient Medication Reimbursement
The form used to request reimbursement for prescriptions you paid for out of pocket related to your allowed BWC conditions. Must be filed within one year of the date you filled the prescription.
Denied Condition
A diagnosis or body part the BWC has rejected. You have 14 days from receipt of a denial order to appeal and request a hearing at the IC. Miss the appeal window and the denial becomes permanent.
14-day appeal deadline. Never ignore a denial order.
DHO
District Hearing Officer
The first level of IC hearing. Issues a written order; either side has 14 days to appeal the DHO order to the SHO. Most likely, the employer’s attorney or the BWC’s attorney will be at this hearing. You should have an attorney too.
EBT Card
Electronic Benefits Transfer Card
A Key Bank debit card used by the BWC to deliver benefit payments. If you do not set up direct deposit, your TTD and other compensation payments will be loaded onto this card.
FROI
First Report of Injury
The application form filed with the BWC to start your claim. Without a FROI filed with the Ohio BWC, there is no claim. Every injured body part must be listed and the accident accurately described.
Omitted body parts can be permanently barred from your claim.
FWW
Full Weekly Wage
Your gross weekly pay at the time of injury. Used to calculate TTD for the first 12 weeks at 72% of FWW. From week 13 onward, TTD is paid at 66⅔% of AWW.
IC / OIC
Ohio Industrial Commission
The quasi-judicial body that hears and decides disputes about your claim. There are three administrative levels: DHO → SHO → Full Commission, and then an appeal to court in either the Court of Common Pleas or the 10th District Court of Appeals, depending on the type of order being appealed. Visit ic.ohio.gov.
IME
Independent Medical Examination
An exam ordered by the BWC or employer, paid for by them. Despite the word "independent," IME doctors regularly favor denial of conditions and low awards. Always challenge an unfavorable IME opinion and share the IME report with your treating doctor in order to seek a rebuttal report.
You must attend scheduled IMEs or risk claim suspension.
Light Duty
A modified work assignment offered by your employer within your physician’s documented physical restrictions. Accepting or refusing light duty has significant implications for your TTD benefits. A refusal must be medically justified by your Physician of Record.
Refusing a legitimate light-duty offer without medical justification can terminate your TTD.
MCO
Managed Care Organization
The private company assigned to manage and authorize your medical care. The MCO’s goal is cost containment. Your doctor must submit C-9 forms for treatment pre-approval. Denied authorization requests can be appealed to the IC.
MMI
Maximum Medical Improvement
A doctor’s determination that your condition has stabilized. When MMI is found, TTD stops. It does not mean you are fully healed — only that the BWC considers your condition stable enough to terminate wage replacement.
Contact an attorney immediately if you receive notice of an MMI finding.
MSA
Medicare Set-Aside
A dedicated fund required in certain settlements to reserve money for future Medicare-covered treatment related to your allowed work injury conditions. Failing to establish a proper MSA can result in Medicare refusing to pay for future care related to your allowed BWC claim conditions.
MEDCO-14
Physician’s Report of Work Ability
A form your treating physician completes to document your ability or inability to return to work, including physical restrictions. The MEDCO-14 directly affects TTD eligibility and light-duty determinations.
NWWL
Non-Working Wage Loss
Compensation when you cannot find suitable work despite a documented good-faith job search due to injury restrictions. Rules differ significantly for injury dates before/after August 25, 2006. Non-Working Wage Loss is difficult to obtain and you will need an attorney to represent you in this type of request.
Online Designee
A person you authorize to access your BWC claim information online on your behalf — such as your attorney or a family member. Set up through your OHID/BWC e-account.
OHID
Ohio ID
The unified state login system used to access the BWC website, check claim status, view orders, and manage your account online. Every injured worker should create an OHID account as soon as possible after filing a claim. Set up your account at ohid.ohio.gov.
PPD
Permanent Partial Disability
A lump sum money award for permanent but partial disability after MMI. During the lifetime of the claim, increases to the prior PPD percentage award can be requested with appropriate medical documentation. BWC and employer doctors routinely opine low PPD percentages. Always appeal a low finding and obtain a rebuttal medical report — the difference can mean thousands of additional dollars.
Never accept the BWC’s PPD percentage without review by your attorney and your own doctor.
PTD
Permanent Total Disability
Ongoing biweekly payments for life when your injury permanently prevents any sustained employment. Once granted, Adjudicatory PTD continues until death, return to work, a showing of ability to return to work, or voluntary claim settlement. Statutory PTD continues whether you return to work or not until you voluntarily settle your BWC claim. Do not attempt to pursue PTD without an experienced attorney.
POR
Physician of Record
Your primary treating doctor for your BWC claim. The POR provides the medical reports, C-84 forms, and MEDCO-14 determinations that drive your claim. Choosing an experienced, BWC-certified POR is one of the most important decisions in your claim.
Self-Insured Employer
A large employer that pays its own workers’ comp claims directly. If your employer is self-insured, the TPA is paid by your employer — their loyalty is entirely to the employer, not to you.
Save every check stub and envelope — late payment can be filed as a complaint with the BWC.
SHO
Staff Hearing Officer
The second level of IC appeal. Can affirm, modify, or reverse the DHO order. Either side has 14 days to appeal to the full IC Commission. The SHO hearing level is often the most critical level of the hearing process because the Full IC Commissioners do not have to accept an appeal from the SHO level.
SSDI
Social Security Disability Insurance
Federal disability benefits that interact directly with Ohio workers’ comp. Under certain circumstances Social Security will reduce your SSDI check when you receive BWC compensation. In other instances where there is no reduction at the federal level, the BWC may be entitled to reduce PTD benefits. In a claim settlement, specific language in the settlement document can dramatically minimize this reduction. Mike co-counsels with a Social Security disability law firm to coordinate both your workers’ comp and SSDI claims together — ensuring your PTD application, settlement language, and SSDI filing all protect your total benefits. Contact Mike for assistance. Learn more about SSDI at ssa.gov/disability.
Subrogation
The right of Medicare, Medicaid, or a health insurer to recover money from your settlement if it paid bills that workers’ comp should have covered. Must be addressed in any settlement — ignoring it can leave you personally liable. Additionally, settlement of a third-party claim (such as an auto accident related to the work injury) will give the BWC and/or the Self-Insured Employer the right to seek statutory subrogation related to the third-party settlement amount.
Statute of Limitations
Legal deadlines by which you must act or permanently lose your rights to contest a BWC or IC order. Multiple overlapping deadlines exist in Ohio workers’ comp — 14 days to appeal an order, 1 year to file a claim, 1 year to file medical bills, and more.
The most common way injured workers permanently lose their rights is failure to appeal an adverse order.
Salary Continuation
An arrangement where your employer continues paying your regular salary while your BWC claim is being processed. Once TTD is approved, the employer is typically reimbursed for the TTD portion. This does not reduce your entitlement.
TPA
Third Party Administrator
A private company hired by a self-insured employer to manage claims. The TPA works for your employer — not for you. Do not trust the TPA to tell you about all available benefits.
TTD
Temporary Total Disability
Weekly wage replacement when you cannot work at all due to your injury. Paid at 72% of FWW for the first 12 weeks, then at 66⅔% of AWW from week 13 onward. Begins on the 8th missed day. Ends at return to work, MMI, or IC termination order.
VocRehab
Vocational Rehabilitation
A BWC retraining program when you cannot return to your prior job. Typically 20 weeks with biweekly Living Maintenance Compensation payments.
VSSR
Violation of Specific Safety Requirement
A penalty award (15%–50% of statutory maximum rate) against an employer who violated an Ohio Administrative Code safety requirement causing your injury. VSSR compensation is paid in addition to all other received compensation benefits. If you think you were injured due to a defective or unsafe machine, contact OSHA within days of the accident so that an investigation can preserve evidence of any safety defects.
Contact OSHA within days of a machine/safety violation injury.
WWL
Working Wage Loss
Compensation when you return to work in a lower-paying job due to injury restrictions. The BWC pays a portion of the gap between current earnings and pre-injury AWW. Rules differ for injury dates before/after August 25, 2006.