PPD Calculator (Permanent Partial Disability)

A permanent partial disability rating is assigned by a physician at Maximum Medical Improvement using standardized evaluation criteria, most often the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. The physician measures range of motion, strength, sensory deficits, and functional limitations. The result is a percentage applied to the affected body part or the whole person. In California, New York, and several other states, modified rating systems are used that may produce higher or lower percentages than the AMA Guides for the same injury.

A scheduled award applies to specific body parts listed in your state's workers' comp schedule — arms, legs, hands, feet, eyes, and fingers. The award equals the body part's scheduled weeks multiplied by your impairment percentage and your weekly rate. An unscheduled or whole-person award applies to injuries affecting the body more broadly, such as spine injuries producing systemic limitations. Whole-person awards are typically worth more because the scheduled weeks for whole person are usually 400 to 500+ weeks in most states, compared to 312 for an arm or 288 for a leg.

PPD benefits begin after you reach Maximum Medical Improvement and receive a permanent impairment rating from your treating physician. MMI typically occurs after your condition stabilizes and your doctor determines that further treatment will not produce significant improvement. At that point, TTD benefits stop and PPD benefits begin — either as continuing weekly payments or a lump-sum settlement.

In most states, a 10% whole-person impairment rating produces 50 weeks of PPD benefits (10% of the 500-week whole-person schedule). At a weekly rate of $700, that equals $35,000 in total PPD benefits before any settlement discount. The actual amount varies significantly by state — California uses its own Permanent Disability Rating Schedule that produces higher values for many injuries, while states with lower weekly caps produce smaller total awards for the same rating.

Yes. PPD benefits compensate for permanent impairment, not for being out of work. You can return to your pre-injury job, a modified job, or a new job and still receive your PPD award. PPD is paid separately from wage-replacement benefits. The only situation where returning to work affects PPD is if your state calculates PPD based on wage loss rather than impairment rating — a few states (like Florida and New York) use a wage-loss model for some PPD claims.

If the insurance company's IME physician assigns a lower impairment rating than your treating physician, you can challenge it. Options include requesting a second independent evaluation, filing for a formal hearing before the state workers' comp board, or negotiating a compromise rating in settlement. Workers who contest low IME ratings — especially with attorney representation — typically recover more than those who accept the carrier's number. An attorney can evaluate whether the gap is worth pursuing.