A workers comp settlement calculator gives a rough planning figure for a workers’ compensation claim from your wage, impairment rating and medical costs. Formula: Weekly = AWW × comp rate/100. PP = weekly × body weeks × impairment/100. TD = weekly × tt weeks. Mid = PP + TD + medical. Low/high = mid × 0.7 / 1.3. With a $1,000 average weekly wage paid at 66.67%, a 10% rating on a 200-week body part, 12 weeks off work and $5,000 of future medical care, the midpoint is about $26,334. It is not a prediction of what you will be offered.
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How to use the workers comp settlement calculator
- Enter your average weekly wage before the injury.
- Enter your state’s compensation rate as a percentage of that wage.
- Enter the impairment rating from the medical report and the number of weeks your state schedules for that body part.
- Add unpaid or future medical costs and the weeks of temporary disability, then read the midpoint and range.
What formula does the workers comp settlement calculator use?
- Weekly compensation rate = average weekly wage (AWW) × compensation rate %
- Permanent partial disability (PPD) = weekly rate × scheduled weeks for the body part × impairment rating %
- Temporary disability = weekly rate × weeks off work
- Midpoint = PPD + temporary disability + unpaid or future medical costs
- Illustrative range = 70% to 130% of the midpoint
Workers comp settlement calculator worked example
| Input or step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Average weekly wage | $1,000 |
| Compensation rate | 66.67% = $666.70 a week |
| Impairment rating × schedule | 10% × 200 weeks = 20 weeks |
| Permanent partial disability | $13,334 |
| Temporary disability (12 weeks) | $8,000 |
| Future medical estimate | $5,000 |
| Midpoint | $26,334 |
| Illustrative range | $18,434 – $34,235 |
The 70%–130% band is a planning assumption built into the tool, not data from settled cases. Attorney fees, liens and any amounts already paid are not subtracted.
How scheduled awards work: the federal example
Each state runs its own workers’ compensation system, with its own rates, maximums and body-part schedules, so the numbers you enter should come from your state. The federal program for civilian federal employees (FECA) shows how a schedule works. Under 5 U.S.C. 8107, a permanent loss or loss of use of a listed body part is paid at 66⅔% of monthly pay for a set number of weeks, and a partial loss of use is paid in proportion:
| Body part (FECA) | Weeks for total loss | At 10% loss of use |
|---|---|---|
| Arm | 312 | 31.2 weeks |
| Leg | 288 | 28.8 weeks |
| Hand | 244 | 24.4 weeks |
| Foot | 205 | 20.5 weeks |
| Eye | 160 | 16 weeks |
| Hearing, both ears | 200 | 20 weeks |
For temporary total disability, FECA pays 66⅔% of pay, or 75% with at least one dependent, subject to a maximum and minimum set by regulation.
What changes a real settlement
A workers comp settlement calculator cannot see these factors:
- The state weekly maximum, which can be lower than two-thirds of a high wage.
- Whether the injury is scheduled (a limb, eye or hearing) or unscheduled (back, neck), which many states rate differently.
- Disputes over the impairment rating, the date of maximum medical improvement or whether the injury is work-related.
- Whether future medical care stays open or is closed out in a lump sum.
- Attorney fees, which states often cap and must usually approve.
Before you settle
Ask the insurer for the wage and rating figures it used, enter them in the workers comp settlement calculator, and compare them with your pay records and your doctor’s report. A settlement often ends your right to future benefits for the claim, so check the effect on medical care, Social Security disability or Medicare before signing. Your state workers’ compensation agency can explain the local schedule and the approval process.
Estimates for education only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules vary by state and change over time; check with the official agency or a licensed professional.
Using the estimate in talks with an insurer
Treat the workers comp settlement calculator result as a starting point for questions, not as an offer you should expect. Ask the insurer or your attorney how they calculated your average weekly wage, which impairment rating they used and whether future medical care is included or left open. If their figure is far below the workers comp settlement calculator midpoint, the difference usually comes from one of those inputs. Many states require a judge or the workers’ compensation board to approve a settlement, and some cap attorney fees, so ask how that works where you live before you sign.
Related converters and calculators
Related calculators:
- Severance pay calculator: job loss
- COBRA cost calculator: health coverage
- Final paycheck calculator: last check
- Social Security calculator: benefits
Sources
5 U.S.C. 8107: FECA compensation schedule; 20 CFR Part 10, Subpart E: FECA compensation rates; U.S. DOL Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs; IRS Publication 525: workers’ compensation.
Questions about this calculator
How is a workers’ comp settlement calculated?
Usually from your weekly compensation rate, an impairment rating, the weeks your state assigns to the body part, wage loss and medical costs, then negotiated.
What is the usual compensation rate?
It depends on the state. The federal FECA program pays 66⅔% of pay, or 75% with a dependent.
Is a workers’ comp settlement taxable?
Workers’ compensation benefits are generally not taxable for federal income tax, but check how any settlement is structured.
Does the range predict my offer?
No. The 70%–130% band is an illustration only.
Should I talk to a lawyer?
Many states regulate and cap attorney fees in these cases; a consultation can help before you sign a release.
Check the assumptions and units before relying on a result. Financial, tax and health estimates do not replace advice for your individual circumstances.
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