Body part injury settlement chart
Every state's workers comp statute lists how many weeks of permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits an injured worker is entitled to for the loss of (or loss of use of) specific body parts. The schedule varies by 5x or more across states for the same body part. This tool shows the PPD weeks per body part for any state, converts to a dollar lump sum at your weekly wage with the state cap applied, and ranks states by relative generosity.
Body part injury settlement chart
PPD weeks per body part, the dollar value at your weekly wage, and how every state compares.
Estimated PPD lump sum, Back in Alabama
n/a
? weeks × $667/week · capped at $1,170 weekly
Cheapest 5 states for Back
- Georgia 300wk
- North Carolina 300wk
Priciest 5 states for Back
- North Carolina 300wk
- Georgia 300wk
Median across 2 states
300 weeks
(North Carolina)
Alabama does not list a fixed PPD-week schedule for Back. The state likely uses the AMA Guides physician impairment rating × statutory factor instead.
How this tool works
Workers compensation indemnity for permanent partial disability is paid weekly, like wage replacement, but the number of weeks payable depends on the body part injured and your state's Schedule of Losses. The schedule is a statutory table: 200 weeks for the loss of a hand in one state, 350 weeks in another. Multiplied by the effective weekly benefit, the schedule produces a settlement value that is fixed by statute, not negotiated.
Effective weekly benefit is computed three ways and the lower wins. First, your weekly wage times the state's weekly-benefit percentage (typically 66.67%, ranging from 60% to 80% by state). Second, the state's maximum weekly benefit cap (the absolute ceiling). Third, the state's minimum weekly benefit (the floor, used for low-wage injured workers). The tool reads all three from our state-facts dataset and applies them in order.
Cross-state comparison is the value-add. The same body part can be worth $50,000 in one state and $250,000 in another, even with the same weekly wage. The tool ranks states from cheapest 5 to priciest 5 for whichever body part you are looking at. State-shopping rarely works, jurisdiction depends on where the injury occurred and where the employee resides, but the comparison helps benchmark whether a settlement offer is reasonable for the jurisdiction.
For body parts not on the state's schedule (head injury, internal organ damage, multi-part injuries), states typically use the AMA Guides physician impairment rating times a statutory factor instead of a fixed week count. The tool flags this case explicitly. For those injuries, the lump-sum estimate from this tool is not reliable; you need a vocational rehabilitation expert and a permanency exam to estimate value.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Schedule of Losses?
Each state's workers comp statute lists the maximum number of weeks of permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits payable for the loss of, or loss of use of, specific body parts. The "schedule" is that table. Body parts not on the schedule (head, internal organs, multi-part injuries) are typically rated using the AMA Guides physician impairment rating instead.
How is the dollar figure calculated?
Dollar settlement = PPD weeks × effective weekly benefit. Effective weekly benefit is the lesser of (your weekly wage × the state's weekly-benefit percentage, typically 66.67%) and (your state's maximum weekly benefit cap). The tool applies all three numbers from the dataset.
Why do some states show no PPD weeks for a body part?
Two reasons: the body part may not be on that state's schedule (states use AMA Guides instead), or the dataset may not have a quoted statute citation. The tool flags this case explicitly with a note about AMA Guides usage.
Are these dollar figures what I will actually receive?
No. They are scheduled maximums. Actual settlement depends on permanency rating (a 50% loss of use rates at 50% of the scheduled weeks), comorbidity, treatment outcome, and any settlement negotiation. Use the chart as the upper bound for the body part, not the expected value.
Why is the cross-state range so wide for the same body part?
States vary by 5x or more on the same body part. A back injury may be 200 weeks in one state and 1000+ weeks in another. The tool surfaces the cheapest 5 and priciest 5 states so you can see relative position. State-shopping rarely works (jurisdiction depends on where the injury occurred), but the comparison helps benchmark.