# Temporary Total Disability in Colorado: How Your TTD Checks Are Actually Calculated
The Short Answer
Temporary total disability in Colorado pays two-thirds (66.67%) of your average weekly wage while an authorized doctor keeps you completely off work, up to a statutory maximum tied to the state average weekly wage. Under C.R.S. § 8-42-105, TTD begins after a three-day waiting period, becomes retroactive if you’re disabled more than two weeks, and stops when you return to work, reach maximum medical improvement, or exhaust benefits.
Your TTD check equals 66.67% of your average weekly wage, arrives biweekly, and starts once an authorized treating physician certifies you cannot work at all. That’s the core of how temporary total disability in Colorado functions. The concept is simple. The math behind it is where injured workers in Colorado Springs, Fountain, and Monument get shortchanged — often by hundreds of dollars a week — because the insurer calculated the average weekly wage wrong.
We see it constantly. A worker knows they’re supposed to get “two-thirds,” sees a check show up, and assumes the number is right. It frequently isn’t.
What Is Temporary Total Disability in Colorado?
Temporary total disability is wage replacement paid to workers who are completely unable to work because of a job injury, covering the healing period before they reach maximum medical improvement. Under C.R.S. § 8-42-105, TTD replaces two-thirds of lost wages — not all of it — which helps bridge the gap while you’re unable to earn.
The word “temporary” matters. TTD is not a permanent award. It bridges the time between your injury and the point where your doctor says you’re either back to work or as healed as you’re going to get. A warehouse worker in Security-Widefield who herniates a disc and gets pulled off work entirely receives TTD. A landscaper in Woodland Park cleared for light duty may not — that’s a different benefit type entirely.
Importantly, fault doesn’t factor in. Unlike a car crash claim, workers’ comp is no-fault. Even if you caused your own injury, you generally still qualify for TTD. If your injury did involve a work vehicle, a separate third-party claim under our automobile accident practice may run alongside your comp claim.
How Is the TTD Payment Rate Calculated in Colorado?
Your TTD rate is 66.67% of your average weekly wage (AWW), capped at a statutory maximum tied to Colorado’s state average weekly wage. The AWW is the foundation of every dollar you receive, which is exactly why getting it right is so critical.
How Average Weekly Wage Is Determined
Average weekly wage in Colorado is calculated from your earnings history before the injury, typically using your gross wages over a representative period. The specific calculation can vary based on the nature and pattern of your employment, and may involve more than just base hourly pay.
Here’s a simplified example. Say a diesel mechanic in Cimarron Hills earned an average of $1,200 per week. Two-thirds of that is $800 per week in TTD. If the insurer calculated the AWW incorrectly at $950, the check could drop to roughly $633. That’s a $167 weekly error. Over six months, that’s more than $4,300 gone.
This is where Bradford Pelton PC earns its keep. Attorney Alex Kerr personally reviews every TTD calculation for accuracy before advising clients, because insurers make math errors far more often than injured workers realize.
What Are the TTD Benefit Caps in Colorado?
Colorado caps TTD at a maximum weekly benefit equal to 91% of the state average weekly wage, a figure the Division of workers’ compensation adjusts periodically. Your check cannot exceed that ceiling regardless of how much you earned — so high earners in Black Forest or Monument may receive less than a straight two-thirds of their actual pay. The Division sets the maximum TTD rate based on the state average weekly wage under C.R.S. § 8-42-105; consult with an attorney to confirm the current cap for your injury date.
There’s a practical takeaway here. If you’re a high-wage worker, the cap may limit your benefit, and that’s legal. But if you’re a mid- or low-wage worker, you should be receiving the full 66.67% with no cap reduction. When we review a claim, one of the first red flags Alex Kerr checks is whether the insurer applied the wrong cap year — using last year’s figure on a current-year injury, which quietly reduces your maximum. Even a minor misapplication of the cap figure can cost a high-earning worker hundreds of dollars over the course of a healing period.
When Do TTD Payments Start and Stop in Colorado Springs?
TTD payments begin after a three-day waiting period and become retroactive to day one if your disability lasts more than two weeks, per C.R.S. § 8-42-105. They stop when you return to work, reach maximum medical improvement (MMI), or exhaust available benefits.
When TTD Starts
You aren’t paid for the first three days of lost time — unless your disability stretches beyond two weeks, at which point those first days get paid retroactively. Payments should begin only after an authorized treating physician certifies that you’re completely unable to work. Once a claim is admitted, the first payment must be received within 5 calendar days.
When TTD Stops
Three things end TTD:
- You return to any work. Even light or modified duty can stop full TTD. If you go back at reduced hours or lower pay, you may shift into wage-loss benefits instead — a scenario we cover in depth in our guide to lost wages after a work injury.
- You reach MMI. Once your authorized doctor certifies maximum medical improvement, TTD ends and the conversation turns to permanent impairment.
- Benefits are exhausted or suitable work is refused. The circumstances that may terminate benefits vary; consult with an attorney if your benefits stop unexpectedly.
A construction worker recovering from a Highway 24 job-site fall near Manitou Springs, for instance, sees TTD continue until a doctor either releases them or declares MMI. Not a day longer, not a day shorter — at least when the system works correctly. When an insurer cuts off TTD without proper certification, that can cross into a denial issue with its own dispute process.
How Often Is TTD Paid, and What If Checks Are Late?
TTD is paid biweekly in Colorado. If checks arrive late, stop without explanation, or come in short, the insurer may owe penalties for the delay. Persistent silence from an adjuster is a warning sign worth investigating. Colorado law provides penalties for insurers that fail to timely admit or deny claims or that unreasonably delay or withhold benefits; the specific penalty amounts and procedures depend on the type of violation, and an attorney can explain your options if benefits have been wrongfully withheld.
Late or missing checks aren’t just an inconvenience when you’ve got a mortgage in Pueblo or Falcon and no income. If your payments have gone quiet, there are concrete steps to force the issue. Document every missed payment, keep your medical off-work notes current, and don’t assume the delay is routine.
What TTD Does NOT Cover
TTD does not cover partial wage loss, pre-injury overtime beyond what’s baked into your AWW, or gaps once you return to modified duty. Those situations may be compensable — just under different benefit categories.
If you go back to a lighter role at Canon City at 70% of your old pay, the 30% gap isn’t TTD. It may qualify as temporary partial disability. And permanent damage — a lasting limp, reduced grip strength — falls under permanent partial disability, a completely separate calculation addressed after MMI.
Red Flags Your TTD Calculation May Be Wrong
The most common TTD errors involve a miscalculated average weekly wage, and even a small AWW mistake compounds over months. Watch for these signs:
- Your check is noticeably less than two-thirds of your normal take-home.
- The insurer may have excluded certain earnings components in calculating your AWW.
- Payments stopped without an MMI finding or a job offer.
Here’s our honest position, and it’s one that sets Bradford Pelton PC apart: many TTD disputes don’t require a lawyer at all. If your calculation is clearly correct and checks arrive on time, Alex Kerr will tell you that plainly in a free consultation. We’d rather earn your trust than manufacture a case. If something’s off, we’ll find it. For a fuller picture of how we handle workers’ comp claims, see our workers’ compensation practice page, or read what past clients have said in our reviews.
If your TTD checks seem low, arrived late, or stopped without explanation, Alex Kerr will personally review your calculation and payment history. Call us or request a free consultation to verify you’re getting every dollar you’re owed.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different. Contact Bradford Pelton PC for a free consultation to discuss your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifies for short-term disability in Colorado?
TTD wage-replacement benefits in Colorado require an authorized treating physician to certify that you are completely unable to work due to a job-related injury, with the disability lasting more than three days. Workers’ comp is no-fault, so you generally qualify even if you contributed to your own injury, and the benefit pays 66.67% of your average weekly wage while you heal.
How to get approved for temporary disability?
To get TTD approved in Colorado, report your injury to your employer in writing within the required timeframe, get treated by an authorized physician who places you off work, and ensure a Workers’ Claim for Compensation is filed with the Division of Workers’ Compensation. Once the claim is admitted, TTD payments should begin within 5 calendar days, subject to the three-day waiting period.
How is TTD calculated for Colorado Springs workers?
TTD for Colorado Springs workers equals two-thirds (66.67%) of the average weekly wage, capped at the state maximum, which is roughly 91% of Colorado’s average weekly wage updated periodically. Your AWW should reflect your actual earnings pattern, so a worker earning $1,200 weekly would generally receive about $800 per week in TTD before any cap applies. The Division publishes the current maximum TTD rate based on the state average weekly wage; consult an attorney to confirm the applicable cap for your injury date.
How is PPD calculated in Colorado?
Permanent partial disability (PPD) in Colorado is calculated differently from TTD and compensates lasting impairment. Unlike TTD, which is temporary wage replacement paid before maximum medical improvement, PPD is only determined after you reach MMI. The calculation method for PPD is governed by Colorado statute and depends on the specifics of your injury; consult with an attorney for guidance on how PPD is determined in your case.