TCA § 50-6-234 — Discontinuance or change in temporary disability benefits by employer — Resumption or increase of benefits

In any case when the employer has commenced paying temporary disability benefits to the employee and has then stopped or changed the benefits for any cause other than failure of an employee to submit to employer requests for reasonable medical examinations by the treating physician or final settlement, the employee may request the assistance of a workers' compensation mediator who shall mediate the dispute, in accordance with § 50-6-236. If the dispute is not resolved by agreement, the parties may submit the dispute to a workers' compensation judge for resolution after the workers' compensation mediator has issued a dispute certification notice in accordance with § 50-6-236. After temporary disability payments have commenced, when the injured employee reaches maximum medical improvement and the compensability of the injury has not been contested by the employer, then payments shall continue until the injured employee accepts or rejects a job offered by any employer at a wage equal to or greater than the employee's pre-injury wage, if the employee is able to perform the duties of the position within any restrictions placed on the employee by the physician selected pursuant to § 50-6-204. In no case may temporary payments pursuant to this subsection (b) exceed the lesser of sixty (60) days or the value of the employee's permanent partial disability award calculated solely upon the medical impairment; provided, that these limits may be exceeded if agreed to by all parties. The amount of the payment shall be credited against any permanent award. For purposes of this subsection (b), the determination of attainment of maximum medical improvement and the employee's medical impairment shall be made by the physician selected in accordance with § 50-6-204. Nothing in this subsection (b) shall require an employer to return any employee to work.