Georgia Workers’ Comp Maximum: $800 a Week, Estimate Your Benefits

Worker estimating weekly compensation benefits

For injuries on or after July 1, 2023, Georgia caps temporary total disability (TTD) at $800 a week and temporary partial disability (TPD) at $533 a week, both calculated as two thirds of lost wages. TTD runs up to 400 weeks and TPD up to 350 weeks for most claims, with catastrophic injuries treated differently. You can confirm your own rate against the State Board of Workers’ Compensation FAQs or estimate it yourself with our calculator.

TL;DR:

Your average weekly wage uses gross pay from the 13 weeks before injury, and insurers should include overtime and bonuses earned during that period.

Benefits begin after more than seven missed workdays; if disability lasts more than 21 consecutive days, Georgia also pays for the first seven.

For noncatastrophic injuries, TTD is limited to 400 weeks and TPD to 350; catastrophic cases may exceed those limits and receive lifetime medical care.

Returning to restricted work at lower pay can shift TTD to TPD, changing both the calculation and weekly ceiling from $800 to $533.

PPD depends on the impairment rating and the weeks assigned to the affected body part, then pays at your weekly rate, usually after temporary benefits end.

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Enter your average weekly wage, state, and injury type to estimate TTD benefits and potential settlement values using state-specific 2026 caps.

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Weekly Benefit Maximums: TTD, TPD, PPD, and Death Benefits Explained
How Georgia Calculates Your Weekly Check and When Payments Start
Duration Limits, Catastrophic Exceptions, and Changes in Work Status
Converting a PPD Impairment Rating Into Weeks and Dollars
Using a Calculator to Estimate Your Georgia Benefits
What Injured Workers Get Wrong About the Maximum
Get Your Own Georgia Benefit Estimate
FAQ
Sources

Weekly Benefit Maximums: TTD, TPD, PPD, and Death Benefits Explained

Georgia workers’ comp does not have one single maximum. It has several, each tied to a different type of loss.

Temporary total disability covers weeks when you cannot work at all. For injuries on or after July 1, 2023, TTD pays two thirds of your average weekly wage, capped at $800 a week, with a $50 minimum. Temporary partial disability applies when you return to lighter work at reduced pay. TPD pays two thirds of the difference between your old and new wages, capped at $533 a week for up to 350 weeks.

Permanent partial disability (PPD) works differently. Georgia assigns a set number of weeks to each body part, called the schedule, and multiplies that by your impairment percentage.

An arm carries a scheduled number of weeks.
A thumb carries a scheduled number of weeks.
A leg carries a scheduled number of weeks.
A hand carries a scheduled number of weeks.

Death benefits follow the same weekly cap structure as TTD, paid to dependents, with the total duration tied to the same statutory limits.

These caps apply only to wage-replacement benefits. Medical care is governed by its own separate time limit.

Weekly Benefit Maximums: TTD, TPD, PPD, and Death Benefits Explained — overview diagram

How Georgia Calculates Your Weekly Check and When Payments Start

Your weekly rate starts with your average weekly wage, based on the 13 weeks before your accident. This should include your regular pay, and insurers generally need to account for overtime and bonuses earned during that window.

Add up gross wages from the 13 weeks before the injury.
Divide by 13 to get your average weekly wage.
Multiply by two thirds for TTD, or apply the wage-loss formula for TPD.
Compare the result to the applicable cap and use whichever is lower.

Say your average weekly wage is $900. Two thirds of that is $600, which falls under the $800 cap, so you would receive $600 a week in TTD.

Benefits start after you miss more than 7 days of work. If your disability lasts more than 21 consecutive days, those first 7 days become payable too. Insurers typically issue the first payment within about three weeks of the missed work date, documented on a Form WC-2.

Pro Tip: Keep every pay stub from the 13 weeks before your injury. Disputes over your average weekly wage are easier to resolve with your own records than with the insurer’s numbers.

Duration Limits, Catastrophic Exceptions, and Changes in Work Status

TTD payments generally stop at 400 weeks, and TPD payments stop at 350 weeks, for injuries that are not classified as catastrophic. A catastrophic designation changes that picture significantly.

A catastrophic injury can qualify for benefits beyond the standard caps, potentially until a change in condition.
Amputations, severe brain injuries, and certain spinal injuries commonly meet the catastrophic standard.
Returning to work with restrictions at reduced pay typically shifts your claim from TTD to TPD, since you are now earning partial wages instead of none.
Medical benefits run for 400 weeks for injuries on or after July 1, 2013, while catastrophic cases can receive lifetime medical care.

The shift from TTD to TPD matters because the weekly cap drops from $800 to $533, and the calculation changes from a flat wage replacement to a wage-loss comparison.

Converting a PPD Impairment Rating Into Weeks and Dollars

PPD awards follow a simple formula: your impairment percentage multiplied by the statutory weeks assigned to that body part.

Get your impairment rating from your treating physician, expressed as a percentage.
Multiply that percentage by the scheduled weeks for the affected body part.
Multiply the resulting weeks by your weekly compensation rate.

At a weekly rate of $500, that comes to $16,875 in PPD benefits.

PPD payments are separate from, and typically follow, any TTD or TPD already paid for the same injury. Insurers and attorneys often reference this combined total when framing a settlement, since PPD is frequently the largest component once temporary benefits end.

Using a Calculator to Estimate Your Georgia Benefits

Our Georgia workers’ comp calculator applies the current date-of-injury caps automatically so you do not have to track statutory changes yourself.

Enter your date of injury, since caps depend on whether it falls before or after July 1, 2023.
Enter your 13 weeks of pre-injury wages to generate your average weekly wage.
Add your impairment percentage if you have a PPD rating, and any post-injury earnings if you have returned to light duty.
Review the resulting TTD, TPD, PPD, and settlement estimates together.

Before you start, gather your pay stubs, your WC-2 or WC-6 forms, and any medical impairment report.

Pro Tip: Treat the estimate as a starting point for negotiation, not a final number. Cross-check it against your WC-2 form and, for contested claims, a workers’ comp attorney.

What Injured Workers Get Wrong About the Maximum

Most people hear “$800 a week” and assume that is what they will receive. It is a ceiling, not a promise. Your actual check depends on your own wages, and Georgia runs separate ceilings for TTD, TPD, PPD, and medical care, not one blanket number.

Keep a simple habit: request your WC-2 every time your payment changes, and keep your WC-6 wage statement on file. If your check does not match the math, or if an insurer tries to reclassify your benefit type without explanation, that is when a call to the State Board or a consultation with a workers’ comp attorney pays off. A breakdown of typical attorney fee structures can help you decide if that step makes sense for your claim.

— Daniel

Get Your Own Georgia Benefit Estimate

Knowing the caps is one thing. Knowing where your own wages land inside them is another, and that is exactly what our free workers’ comp calculator is built for.

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A workers’ comp tool can apply the correct date-of-injury caps and your actual wage history to return realistic TTD, TPD, and PPD figures, along with settlement estimates useful for negotiation.

Pull your pay stubs from the 13 weeks before your injury.
Have your impairment rating ready if you have reached maximum medical improvement.
Check your results against your Georgia settlement chart before accepting any offer.

Run your numbers now and see where you stand against Georgia’s actual caps.

This article is general information, not a substitute for advice from a qualified lawyer. Consult a qualified legal professional about your own circumstances before acting on anything here.

FAQ

Does workers comp pay 60% of my wages in Georgia?

No, Georgia pays two thirds of your average weekly wage for temporary total disability, capped at $800 a week for injuries on or after July 1, 2023. Temporary partial disability uses the same two-thirds formula applied to your wage loss, capped at $533 a week.

What are the basic rules for workers’ compensation in Georgia?

Georgia requires most employers with three or more employees to carry workers’ comp coverage, and benefits are calculated from your average weekly wage over the 13 weeks before your injury. Payments begin once you miss more than 7 days of work, with the State Board’s FAQ page outlining eligibility and claim steps.

Is there a limit on how much workers’ comp pays out?

Yes, Georgia sets separate weekly caps for each benefit type: $800 for TTD, $533 for TPD, with duration limits of 400 weeks and 350 weeks respectively for noncatastrophic injuries. Catastrophic injuries can extend beyond those limits, as described in Georgia’s statutory code.

How long can you stay on workers’ comp in Georgia?

For noncatastrophic injuries, TTD benefits run up to 400 weeks and TPD benefits run up to 350 weeks. Catastrophic injuries can qualify for benefits beyond those caps until a documented change in your medical condition, under the same Georgia Code provisions.