Short answer: your payout is scheduled weeks × impairment percentage × weekly compensation rate. A 10% whole-person rating is 50 weeks in most states, so a worker with a $700 weekly rate is looking at roughly $35,000 before any lump-sum discount. Your state's wage-replacement percentage and weekly maximum decide the rest, which is why the same rating pays two to three times more in some states than others.
What an impairment rating is worth
Once you reach Maximum Medical Improvement, a physician assigns a permanent impairment percentage. That percentage becomes money through a single formula: scheduled weeks for the injured body part × your rating × your weekly compensation rate. Because both the wage replacement percentage and the weekly maximum are set by state law, the same 15% rating can be worth two to three times more in one state than another.
The rating itself is a medical measurement of permanent physical loss, not a judgment about whether you can work. That is why an impairment award is still payable after you return to your job, and why the classification of the injury (whole person versus a single scheduled limb) often moves the number more than the percentage does.
How to use this calculator
The state calculators take three inputs and give you the weekly rate, weeks payable, and total. Work through these steps with your impairment report in front of you.
- 1. Find your impairment percentage
Open the permanent impairment report your doctor or the insurer's independent medical examiner issued after Maximum Medical Improvement. Look for a line such as '12% permanent partial impairment of the whole person' or '20% impairment of the right upper extremity'. Use that number, not your disability rating from Social Security or the VA, which are calculated differently.
- 2. Identify how the injury was rated
Note whether the rating is to a scheduled body part (arm, leg, hand, foot, eye) or to the whole person or body as a whole. Whole-person ratings draw from a much longer week schedule, so the same percentage usually pays more.
- 3. Calculate your average weekly wage
Add your gross earnings for the 52 weeks before the injury, including overtime and most bonuses, then divide by the number of weeks worked. If you worked less than a year, most states use the weeks you actually worked or a comparable employee's wage.
- 4. Pick your state and run the numbers
Choose your state below, enter your average weekly wage and impairment percentage, and select the rated body part. The calculator applies your state's 2026 wage-replacement percentage and weekly maximum and returns the weekly rate, the number of weeks payable, and the estimated total.
- 5. Compare the estimate to the insurer's offer
Treat the total as the scheduled value of the rating before any lump-sum discount. If the carrier's offer is well below it, the gap usually comes from a lower rating, a scheduled rather than whole-person classification, or a present-value and future-medical discount worth challenging.
Worked examples
All four use a $700 weekly compensation rate, roughly what a $1,050 average weekly wage produces in a state paying 66.67% with no cap in play.
500 scheduled weeks × 10% = 50 weeks. At a $700 weekly rate, the scheduled value is $35,000.
312 scheduled weeks × 20% = 62.4 weeks. At a $700 weekly rate, the scheduled value is $43,680.
288 scheduled weeks × 5% = 14.4 weeks. At a $700 weekly rate, the scheduled value is $10,080.
244 scheduled weeks × 15% = 36.6 weeks. At a $700 weekly rate, the scheduled value is $25,620.
Scheduled weeks by body part
These are the common federal-style schedules used in the calculators. Your state's statute may assign different weeks to specific parts, so confirm with your state agency or attorney.
| Body part rated | Scheduled weeks | Weeks at a 10% rating |
|---|---|---|
| Arm | 312 | 31.2 |
| Leg | 288 | 28.8 |
| Hand | 244 | 24.4 |
| Foot | 205 | 20.5 |
| Eye | 160 | 16.0 |
| Thumb | 75 | 7.5 |
| Index finger | 46 | 4.6 |
| Middle finger | 30 | 3.0 |
| Ring finger | 25 | 2.5 |
| Little finger | 15 | 1.5 |
| Hearing (one ear) | 52 | 5.2 |
| Hearing (both ears) | 200 | 20.0 |
| Back / Spine | 312 | 31.2 |
| Whole person | 500 | 50.0 |
10% whole-person payout by state (2026)
Estimated total for a 10% whole-person rating at a $1,200 average weekly wage.
| State | Wage replacement | Max weekly | 10% whole-person payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 66.67% | $1,046 | $40,002 |
| Alaska | 80% | $1,726 | $48,000 |
| Arizona | 66.67% | $1,033 | $40,002 |
| Arkansas | 66.67% | $870 | $40,002 |
| California | 66.67% | $1,764 | $40,002 |
| Colorado | 66.67% | $1,397 | $40,002 |
| Connecticut | 75% | $1,897 | $45,000 |
| Delaware | 66.67% | $896 | $40,002 |
| District of Columbia | 66.67% | $1,900 | $40,002 |
| Florida | 66.67% | $1,358 | $40,002 |
| Georgia | 66.67% | $675 | $33,750 |
| Hawaii | 66.67% | $1,048 | $40,002 |
| Idaho | 66.67% | $892 | $40,002 |
| Illinois | 66.67% | $2,008 | $40,002 |
| Indiana | 66.67% | $924 | $40,002 |
| Iowa | 66.67% | $1,281 | $40,002 |
| Kansas | 66.67% | $869 | $40,002 |
| Kentucky | 66.67% | $1,070 | $40,002 |
| Louisiana | 66.67% | $750 | $37,500 |
| Maine | 80% | $1,016 | $48,000 |
| Maryland | 66.67% | $1,167 | $40,002 |
| Massachusetts | 60% | $1,922 | $36,000 |
| Michigan | 80% | $1,129 | $48,000 |
| Minnesota | 66.67% | $1,320 | $40,002 |
| Mississippi | 66.67% | $637 | $31,850 |
| Missouri | 66.67% | $2,350 | $40,002 |
| Montana | 66.67% | $1,008 | $40,002 |
| Nebraska | 66.67% | $1,004 | $40,002 |
| Nevada | 66.67% | $1,023 | $40,002 |
| New Hampshire | 60% | $1,641 | $36,000 |
| New Jersey | 70% | $1,131 | $42,000 |
| New Mexico | 66.67% | $1,010 | $40,002 |
| New York | 66.67% | $1,222 | $40,002 |
| North Carolina | 66.67% | $1,302 | $40,002 |
| North Dakota | 66.67% | $1,281 | $40,002 |
| Ohio | 72% | $1,345 | $43,200 |
| Oklahoma | 70% | $923 | $42,000 |
| Oregon | 66.67% | $1,601 | $40,002 |
| Pennsylvania | 66.67% | $1,325 | $40,002 |
| Rhode Island | 75% | $1,625 | $45,000 |
| South Carolina | 66.67% | $1,134 | $40,002 |
| South Dakota | 66.67% | $1,068 | $40,002 |
| Tennessee | 66.67% | $1,232 | $40,002 |
| Texas | 70% | $1,066 | $42,000 |
| Utah | 66.67% | $1,161 | $40,002 |
| Vermont | 66.67% | $1,604 | $40,002 |
| Virginia | 66.67% | $1,393 | $40,002 |
| Washington | 60% | $1,645 | $36,000 |
| West Virginia | 70% | $1,079 | $42,000 |
| Wisconsin | 66.67% | $1,411 | $40,002 |
| Wyoming | 66.67% | $1,032 | $40,002 |
Why your payout may come in lower than the estimate
- A lower rating. The insurer's examiner may assign fewer percentage points than your treating physician, or apply a newer edition of the AMA Guides that measures the same injury more conservatively.
- Scheduled instead of whole-person. A back or shoulder injury rated to a limb draws from a shorter week schedule than the same injury rated to the body as a whole.
- Present-value discount. Converting weekly checks to a lump sum reduces the face amount, and the discount rate is negotiable.
- Future medical. Closing your right to future treatment is part of most settlements, so the medical exposure being released should raise the offer, not lower it.
- Credits and offsets. Advances already paid, prior awards for the same body part, and apportionment to pre-existing conditions all reduce the net check.
How to challenge a rating you think is too low
- Request the full impairment report, including the measurements and the guide edition used.
- Ask your treating physician for a rebuttal rating that addresses those measurements directly.
- Check whether your state allows a second opinion or an agency-appointed evaluator, and note the deadline to request one.
- File the dispute with your state workers' compensation agency before the deadline in your notice of benefit action.
- Do not sign a settlement or a compromise and release while the rating is still contested.
Impairment rating terms, defined
- Impairment rating
- A physician's percentage estimate of permanent physical loss, usually measured with the AMA Guides. It describes your body, not your job.
- Disability rating
- How that impairment translates into lost earning capacity under state law. Some states pay strictly on impairment, others adjust for age, education, and work restrictions.
- Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)
- The point where further treatment will not meaningfully improve your condition. Ratings are assigned at MMI, and temporary benefits usually stop there.
- Scheduled member
- A body part listed in the statute with a fixed number of weeks, such as an arm, leg, hand, foot, thumb, or eye.
- Whole person / body as a whole
- Injuries rated systemically rather than to one limb, such as spinal fusions, brain injuries, and internal organ damage.
- Weekly compensation rate
- Your state's wage-replacement percentage of your average weekly wage, capped at the state weekly maximum and floored at its minimum.
- Independent medical examination (IME)
- An exam ordered by the insurer. IME ratings are often lower than treating-physician ratings, which is what most rating disputes are about.
State impairment rating calculators
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Impairment rating FAQ
How do I turn an impairment rating into a dollar amount?+
Multiply the scheduled weeks for the injured body part by your impairment percentage, then multiply by your weekly compensation rate. Your weekly rate is your state's wage-replacement percentage of your average weekly wage, capped at the state maximum. A 10% whole-person rating is 50 weeks of benefits in most states, so at a $700 weekly rate it is $35,000 before any settlement discount.
What is a 1% impairment rating worth?+
One percentage point of a whole-person rating is 5 weeks of benefits in states using a 500-week schedule, so at a $700 weekly rate each point is worth about $3,500. On a scheduled arm at 312 weeks, a point is about 3.1 weeks, or roughly $2,180 at the same rate. That is why a small dispute over the percentage is rarely small in dollars.
Why does the same rating pay different amounts in different states?+
Two state-specific numbers drive the result: the wage-replacement percentage (most states use 66.67%, but some use 60%, 70%, 75%, or 80%) and the maximum weekly benefit, which ranges from under $700 in Georgia to over $2,000 in Illinois and Missouri for 2026. States also schedule body parts differently and some apply their own rating modifiers.
Is an impairment rating the same thing as a disability rating?+
No. Impairment is the medical measurement of permanent physical loss. Disability is the legal and economic consequence of that loss. Some states pay purely on the impairment percentage, while others adjust the award for your age, education, and ability to return to comparable work, which can raise or lower the payout for an identical rating.
When is my impairment rating assigned?+
After you reach Maximum Medical Improvement, the point at which your doctor concludes further treatment will not meaningfully improve your condition. Temporary disability checks generally stop at that point and permanent partial disability begins based on the rating.
Do I get the payout as a lump sum or weekly checks?+
Either. The default in most states is weekly permanent partial disability checks for the number of weeks the rating produces. A lump sum is available by settlement, and carriers usually discount it for present value and for closing future medical care, so a lump sum is typically less than the full scheduled total.
What if the insurance company's doctor gives me a lower rating?+
You can request a second evaluation, obtain a rebuttal rating from your treating physician, or take the dispute to your state workers' compensation agency. Each percentage point is real money, so a several-point gap on a whole-person rating is generally worth contesting.
Does a higher wage always mean a bigger impairment payout?+
Only up to your state's weekly maximum. Once your wage-replacement rate reaches the cap, extra earnings do not increase the weekly rate or the total. Workers earning well above the cap in low-maximum states are the most affected by this ceiling.
Can I still get an impairment payout if I went back to work?+
Yes. An impairment award compensates permanent physical loss rather than lost wages, so it is payable whether you return to your old job, a modified role, or a new employer. Only wage-loss benefits are offset by your earnings.
Is an impairment rating payout taxable?+
No. Workers' compensation permanent disability benefits and settlements are exempt from federal and state income tax.
These calculations are estimates based on your inputs and general workers' compensation formulas. Actual benefits depend on state law, your specific injury, employer insurance carrier, and other factors. This is not legal advice. Consult a licensed workers' compensation attorney for guidance specific to your claim.