A more thorough explanation:

Partial disability is a type of disability that is used for Workers Compensation benefits or private disability insurance payments. It is when a person is not completely disabled but is unable to perform at full physical capacity for work. This can be due to an illness or an injury that happened on the job.

For example, if someone injures their knee while working, they may be able to return to work but cannot do their former job or can only do a lower-paying job. This means they are partially disabled because they cannot perform all the important duties of their occupation.

A partial disability can be either temporary or permanent. If it is temporary, benefits will continue until the worker returns to work or a physician declares the worker is physically fit. If it is permanent, the worker has ongoing impairments even though their medical condition has healed as much as possible with medical treatment.

Examples of medical conditions that can result in partial disability include carpal tunnel syndrome, loss of a body part, hearing loss, knee injuries, nerve damage, PTSD, and loss of vision in a single eye.

The amount of compensation for partial disability is usually determined by the extent of the disability. In most states, a financial schedule appears in the underlying statute and lists benefits to be paid for specific losses. This includes a list of body parts that are covered such as the loss of a finger or an eye, or the loss of hearing in one or both ears.