For a 17-year-old minor injured and receiving minimum temporary disability, what is the correct permanent disability rate?

For a 17-year-old minor injured and receiving minimum temporary disability, what is the correct permanent disability rate?

• A. Minimum
• B. Maximum
• C. Average weekly earnings of $189
• D. Probably earnings at age 18

Answer: (D)

The correct permanent disability rate for a 17-year-old minor is based on projected earnings at age 18 because minors typically have limited work experience and earning potential that can affect their disability compensation. The law recognizes that the standard approach for assessing permanent disability in minors involves estimating what their earnings might be once they reach adulthood, as they are not fully economically established at 17. In this case, waiting until the minor reaches age 18 allows for a more accurate reflection of their potential earning capacity, considering that they will have had more time to enter the workforce and establish a basis for earnings. Therefore, it is essential to use this age 18 projection to determine the permanent disability rate accurately, rather than relying on the minimum or maximum rates or the average weekly earnings at their current age. This approach ensures that the disability compensation reflects the potential future income the individual could have earned had they not been injured.

The correct permanent disability rate for a 17-year-old minor is based on projected earnings at age 18 because minors typically have limited work experience and earning potential that can affect their disability compensation. The law recognizes that the standard approach for assessing permanent disability in minors involves estimating what their earnings might be once they reach adulthood, as they are not fully economically established at 17.

In this case, waiting until the minor reaches age 18 allows for a more accurate reflection of their potential earning capacity, considering that they will have had more time to enter the workforce and establish a basis for earnings. Therefore, it is essential to use this age 18 projection to determine the permanent disability rate accurately, rather than relying on the minimum or maximum rates or the average weekly earnings at their current age. This approach ensures that the disability compensation reflects the potential future income the individual could have earned had they not been injured.