How much an Alaska workers comp settlement is worth depends on three things: the body part injured, your impairment rating, and your weekly wage. This guide lays out the Alaska caps, the body-part schedule, and how the math works, in plain English. All figures are from Alaska sources, verified as of October 2026.
Alaska at a Glance
| Wage replacement | 80 percent of SPENDABLE weekly wage. This is not 66.67 percent of gross: Alaska pays 80 percent of after-tax (“spendable”) weekly wage for temporary total disability and permanent total disability, under AS 23.30.185, 23.30.180 and 23.30.175. |
| Max weekly benefit | $1,627 |
| Min weekly benefit | 358 (2026 minimum for temporary and permanent total disability. If 80 percent of spendable weekly wage is below 358, many claimants are paid 358 instead, under the conditions in AS 23.30.175.) |
| Waiting period | 3 days |
| PPD method | A whole-person impairment rating times a fixed dollar amount, not body-part weeks. Permanent partial impairment (PPI) = the worker’s whole-person impairment rating × 273000, under AS 23.30.190. The rating must be made strictly under the AMA Guides whole-person method. From April 1, 2026, all ratings must use the AMA Guides Sixth Edition 2025 (Division Bulletin 26-01). PPI is generally paid as a lump sum. |
| Lawyer recommended | For serious injuries, denials, or any settlement offer |
In This Alaska Guide:
How Much Is a Workers’ Comp Settlement in Alaska?
How much an Alaska workers comp settlement is worth depends on three things: the body part injured, your impairment rating, and your weekly wage. This guide lays out the Alaska caps, the body-part schedule, and how the math works, in plain English. All figures are from Alaska sources, verified as of October 2026.
Want a quick estimate for your own injury?
Alaska Body-Part Settlement Values
If your injury is a permanent loss to a specific body part, Alaska assigns it a set number of weeks of benefits. Your payout is roughly those weeks multiplied by your impairment rating and your weekly comp rate. Here are the Alaska figures:
Alaska body-part values: NONE. Alaska does not use a scheduled body-part weeks table. Every body-part impairment is converted to a whole-person percentage and multiplied by 273000.
Whole-body / maximum: up to NONE. PPI is not paid in weeks. The theoretical maximum is 100 percent whole-person impairment × 273000 = 273000. weeks.
How Alaska Calculates Your Payout
Gross weekly earnings are found under AS 23.30.220 and converted to “spendable weekly wage,” meaning gross pay minus estimated federal income tax and Social Security/Medicare tax. The weekly comp rate is 80 percent of that amount. For 2026 it cannot be lower than 358 or higher than 1627, which is 120 percent of the Alaska average weekly wage. The Division’s online Benefits Calculator does this calculation.
Permanent disability: A whole-person impairment rating times a fixed dollar amount, not body-part weeks. Permanent partial impairment (PPI) = the worker’s whole-person impairment rating × 273000, under AS 23.30.190. The rating must be made strictly under the AMA Guides whole-person method. From April 1, 2026, all ratings must use the AMA Guides Sixth Edition 2025 (Division Bulletin 26-01). PPI is generally paid as a lump sum.
Offsets: Yes, under AS 23.30.225. (a) Social Security retirement or survivors’ benefits: weekly compensation is reduced by about one-half of the federal periodic benefit. (b) Social Security disability: weekly disability benefits are reduced by the amount that combined state comp plus SSDI exceeds 80 percent of the worker’s average weekly wage at the time of injury. The calculation uses the initial SSA entitlement, without cost-of-living adjustments.
The employer must file and serve a Compensation Report showing the calculation (8 AAC 45.225).
What Settlements Actually Run in Alaska
What drives an Alaska settlement: The whole-person impairment rating under the AMA Guides 6th Ed.
2025; the worker’s spendable weekly wage and resulting compensation rate (between 358 and 1627); how long temporary disability lasts; whether future medical benefits are kept or waived; eligibility for reemployment benefits under AS 23.30.041; ability to return to the job at injury or other suitable work; any Social Security offsets; and disputed issues such as compensability or medical-opinion conflicts.
How Workers’ Comp Settlements Work in Alaska
An Alaska workers comp settlement usually has two parts: the wage benefits you are paid while you cannot work, and a lump sum for any permanent damage the injury leaves behind. The wage piece replaces a share of your average weekly wage, up to the state cap shown above.
The permanent piece is where most of the settlement value lives, and it depends on the body part, your impairment rating, and how the state values that loss.
Scheduled vs. Unscheduled Injuries in Alaska
Most states, including how Alaska handles many claims, divide permanent injuries into two buckets. A scheduled loss is a specific body part with a set number of weeks assigned to it, like an arm, hand, or leg. An unscheduled loss affects the body as a whole, like a back or a head injury, and is often worth more because it touches your overall ability to earn.
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Knowing which bucket your injury falls into is the first step to understanding what your case may be worth.
Other Alaska settlement rules: Under AS 23.30.012, every settlement (compromise and release) must be filed with the Board and approved by it. Settlement can happen only after 30 days from injury, and an unapproved agreement is void. The Board may approve a lump-sum settlement only when it appears to be in the worker’s best interest.
A settlement that waives future medical benefits or benefits during rehabilitation training is presumed unreasonable and generally needs a showing that it is in the worker’s best interest. AS 23.30.190 also provides for annual CPI increases to the PPI amount, but Division materials still use 273000, so confirm the current figure with the Division. Separately, eligible workers may receive reemployment benefits under AS 23.30.041.
This is general reference information, not legal advice; confirm with the Alaska Division and a licensed attorney.
Understanding Your Alaska Workers Comp Settlement
The size of an Alaska workers comp settlement is not random — it follows the state’s own formula. Your average weekly wage sets your benefit rate, the body part and impairment rating set the number of weeks, and the state cap sets the ceiling. Put together, those pieces are what an Alaska workers comp settlement is built from.
If any part of your Alaska workers comp settlement is unclear, the calculator below gives a quick estimate and your state board can confirm the current caps and the body-part schedule.
Got a settlement offer? Before you accept, it helps to know what your Alaska case may really be worth. An attorney can review the offer, often at no upfront cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a workers’ comp settlement in Alaska?
There is no single average — an Alaska settlement depends on the body part, your impairment rating, and your wage. Use the calculator on this page for an estimate, and remember every case is different.
How is an Alaska workers’ comp settlement calculated?
Alaska generally pays a share of your average weekly wage (capped at $1627/week), then adds a permanent-disability amount based on the body part and your impairment rating. The state’s body-part schedule sets the number of weeks.
Do I need a lawyer to settle my Alaska workers’ comp case?
Not always, but for a serious injury, a denied claim, or a settlement offer you are unsure about, many claimants talk to a workers’ comp attorney first — the consultation is usually free and represented claimants often recover more.
Official Alaska Sources & Resources
- Alaska Alaska Workers’ Compensation Board / Division of Workers’ Compensation, Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Appeals go to the Alaska Workers’ Compensation Appeals Commission.: https://labor.alaska.gov/wc/
- Alaska Workers’ Comp Statute: https://law.justia.com/codes/alaska/title-23/chapter-30/article-5/section-23-30-175/ (AS 23.30.175 rates; see also AS 23.30.190 for PPI, at https://codes.findlaw.com/ak/title-23-labor-and-workers-compensation/ak-st-sect-23-30-190/)
- U.S. Department of Labor — Workers’ Comp: dol.gov
- NCCI (rating/benefit data): ncci.com
These Alaska workers comp settlement figures were last verified against official sources in October 2026. State benefit caps change every year — confirm the current figure with your state workers’-comp board or a licensed attorney before you rely on it.
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More Alaska Workers’ Comp Guides
- How to File an Alaska Workers’ Comp Claim
- Alaska Workers’ Comp Requirements (Employers)
- Workers’ Comp Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, medical, or financial advice. Workers Comp Explained is an independent educational resource, not a law firm or insurer. Workers’ comp benefits, settlement values, deadlines, and requirements vary by state and by the specific facts of your injury and change over time, and any settlement figures here are illustrative only.
Confirm your rights and any deadline with your state’s workers’ compensation board and a licensed attorney before you act.