Opinion ID: 2543822
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: An injured worker is entitled to temporary total disability compensation upon a showing of physical incapacity and resultant total inability to earn wages during the healing period.

Text: ¶ 14 Temporary total disability compensation to replace the loss of wages during the healing period is a blend of two elements. [11] The first element is incapacity or loss of function in the physical or medical sense that is established by medical evidence. [12] An award of temporary total disability compensation will be vacated in the absence of supporting medical evidence. [13] ¶ 15 The second element is the inability to earn wages that is normally demonstrated by nonmedical evidence touching upon claimant's employment situation. Ordinarily an incapacity for work cannot be classified as total under our workers' compensation law if the earning power of the employee is not wholly destroyed and the capacity to perform remunerative employment remains. [14] A claimant who is gainfully employed, or who is able to work, is not entitled to temporary total disability compensation. [15]