The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) granted an employee’s claim for additional benefits due to his work-related injuries.
The 30 year old employee worked at PHIMCO Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of matches and mosquito coils, when he was involved in a work-related accident that resulted to his left hand injury and the amputation of his left foot.
For his injuries, the Social Security System (SSS) granted the employee both EC temporary total disability (TTD) and SSS sickness benefits. His EC TTD benefits covered the period of January 13 to May 12, 2018, for a total of 120 days. For the amputation of his left foot, he was granted EC permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits starting on May 13, 2018.
Not satisfied with the EC benefits granted him, the said employee requested for reconsideration for an additional 60-day extension of his EC TTD benefits. However, his request was denied by the SSS on the ground that the claim overlapped with previously approved EC PPD benefit.
On appeal, the ECC ruled in favor of the employee.
According to ECC, the employee was granted 120 days of TTD benefit for his injuries, this includes the period of his hospitalization and operation. Records showed that the employee was discharged from the hospital on 29 January 2018 or 16 days after his hospitalization. During the period of his recuperation and during the time he was not able to work, he was correctly granted EC TTD benefit. However, due to the employee’s below the knee amputation, he is entitled to seventy-seven (77) months of permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits in accordance with ECC Board Resolution (BR) No. 10-09-114, s. of 2010 (“Granting of Successive Temporary Total Disability [TTD] Benefits and Permanent Partial Disability [PPD] Benefits for Work-Related Injuries that Resulted to Functional Loss and/or Physical Loss of Any Part of the Body”).
In accordance with the said Resolution, the ECC further ruled that any earlier compensation for TTD benefits that were granted to the injured worker should not be deducted from the EC PPD benefits that would be granted to him.
The ECC ordered that the employee be accorded EC PPD benefits.
Besides the extension of his claim, he was also referred to ECC’s Work Contingency Prevention and Rehabilitation Division for the availment of Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan (KaGabay), a rehabilitation program for persons with work-related disabilities.
