Impairment rating is a number a doctor gives you when a work injury leaves lasting damage. It measures, as a percentage, how much permanent function you lost in a body part or in your body as a whole. For example, a 10% impairment rating to your arm means the doctor found you lost about 10% of that arm’s normal use, and it will not fully heal. This number drives much of what your workers’ comp claim is worth.
What Impairment Rating Means
An impairment rating is not about your job or your pay. It is a medical measure of how your body works now. A doctor checks your strength, motion, pain, and test results. Then the doctor compares that to a national standard. In most states, that standard is the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. About 40 states use the AMA Guides 6th Edition, according to the American Medical Association.
Here is a real-world example. Say you crushed your hand on the job. After surgery and therapy, you still cannot fully close it. The doctor measures the loss and assigns a 30% impairment rating to the hand. That rating becomes the key fact in your permanent benefit. However, the doctor does not decide your money. Your state workers’ comp board does, using its own rules.
How Impairment Rating Is Calculated
Most states use a simple chain. First, your doctor sets the impairment rating as a percentage. Second, your state assigns a fixed number of weeks to each body part. Third, the state pays your weekly comp rate, which is usually two-thirds of your average weekly wage, for a share of those weeks.
The formula looks like this: impairment rating % × statutory weeks × your weekly rate. For example, in Pennsylvania an arm is worth 410 weeks. Suppose you earned $900 a week, so your rate is $600. A 20% impairment rating means 20% of 410 weeks, or 82 weeks. As a result, 82 weeks × $600 = $49,200. The table below shows full body-part values at Pennsylvania’s 2026 maximum rate.
| Body part (Pennsylvania) | Statutory weeks | Value at 2026 max rate ($1,394/wk) |
|---|---|---|
| Arm | 410 | $571,540 |
| Leg | 410 | $571,540 |
| Hand | 335 | $466,790 |
| Eye | 275 | $383,350 |
| Foot | 250 | $348,500 |
| Thumb | 100 | $139,400 |
Your weekly rate is capped at a state maximum. That cap changes each year. The next table shows 2026 maximum weekly rates in several states, so you can see how much they differ.
| State | 2026 maximum weekly rate |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $1,396.85 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,394.00 |
| Florida | $1,358.00 |
| Louisiana | $877.00 |
These settlement figures are illustrative, and every case is different. Always confirm the exact number with your state workers’ comp board and a licensed attorney before acting.
Who Qualifies and How Long It Lasts
You qualify for an impairment rating once you reach maximum medical improvement, or MMI. MMI is the point where your doctor says you will not get much better, even with more treatment. Before MMI, you usually receive temporary wage-loss benefits instead. An impairment rating typically comes after MMI, not before.
How long benefits last depends on your state and your rating. Scheduled losses, like a hand or foot, pay for a set number of weeks. Whole-body ratings may pay differently. A higher impairment rating generally means more weeks of pay. In most cases, the payments are either spread weekly or rolled into a lump-sum settlement.
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How an Impairment Rating Fits Into Your Overall Claim
Your impairment rating is one piece of a larger claim. It mainly drives your permanent partial disability, or PPD, benefit. However, it can also shape a full settlement. Insurers often use the rating to value a buyout of your future weekly checks. A clear, fair impairment rating helps you avoid being lowballed.
Other benefits sit alongside it. You may still get medical coverage for the injury. You may also receive temporary benefits for the time you missed work. For example, a worker might collect wage-loss pay during recovery, then a PPD award based on the impairment rating after MMI. These pieces stack together to form your total claim.
If you disagree with your rating, you may have options. Many states let you request a second opinion or an independent exam. A low impairment rating can shrink your payout, so it is worth checking. You may be entitled to a higher number than the insurer’s doctor gave you. Confirm your rights with your state board and a licensed attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides my impairment rating?
A physician decides it, usually after you reach MMI. The doctor uses a national standard, most often the AMA Guides. However, the insurer may send you to its own doctor, so the ratings can differ.
Does a higher impairment rating mean more money?
Typically, yes. A higher percentage means a larger share of your body part’s statutory weeks gets paid. However, your weekly rate and your state’s cap also affect the final amount.
Can I challenge a low impairment rating?
In most cases, yes. Many states allow a second opinion or an independent medical exam. Many claimants get a fairer result this way, so confirm the process with your state board and a licensed attorney.
See your state’s exact numbers
What you are owed depends on your state’s benefit caps and deadlines. Start with your state’s settlement and claim guides for the exact figures.
Sources & How to Verify
The figures on this page come from official government and industry sources. Workers’ comp benefit caps, deadlines, and rules change, so always confirm the exact figure with your state’s workers’ comp board or a licensed attorney before acting. Settlement estimates are illustrative, and every case is different.
- Your state workers’ comp board, division, or commission: the official source for your state’s exact caps, deadlines, and forms — search “[your state] workers compensation board”
- U.S. Department of Labor (OWCP): dol.gov — federal workers’ compensation overview
- NCCI: ncci.com — workers’ comp rating and benefit data
- Social Security Administration: ssa.gov — benefit-cap and SSDI offset data
- Insurance Information Institute: iii.org — neutral workers’ comp background
Content last reviewed June 2026. If you notice an outdated figure, please contact us.
Related Guides
- Workers Comp Settlements by State (All 50)
- Workers Comp Claims by State (All 50)
- More in This Category
- Settlements by Injury
- Benefits Explained
- Workers Comp Glossary
Informational only — not legal, medical, or financial advice. Workers Comp Explained is an independent educational resource, not a law firm, insurer, or medical or financial advisor, and this page does not provide legal, medical, or financial advice. Workers’ compensation benefits, deadlines, and rules vary by state and change over time, and settlement estimates are illustrative only. Always confirm the exact figure and any deadline with your state’s workers’ compensation board and a licensed attorney before you act.