How much a Tennessee workers comp settlement is worth depends on three things: the body part injured, your impairment rating, and your weekly wage. Typical Tennessee settlements run Many Tennessee claims settle in the 20000 to 40000 range; serious or attorney-represented permanent-injury cases commonly run 35000 to 85000 or higher. Every case differs — confirm with your state board and a licensed attorney..
This guide lays out the Tennessee caps, the body-part schedule, and how the math works, in plain English. All figures are from Tennessee sources, verified as of June 2026.
Tennessee at a Glance
| Wage replacement | 66.67% (two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly wage) |
| Max weekly benefit | 1426.70 |
| Min weekly benefit | 194.55 |
| Waiting period | 7 days |
| PPD method | Impairment-rating times weeks (whole-body method). For injuries on/after July 1, 2014, the initial PPD award = AMA Guides (6th Ed.) impairment rating × 450 weeks × the weekly comp rate. Tennessee no longer uses a separate scheduled-body-part list; nearly all injuries are rated as body-as-a-whole. |
| Lawyer recommended | For serious injuries, denials, or any settlement offer |
In This Tennessee Guide:
How Much Is a Workers’ Comp Settlement in Tennessee?
How much a Tennessee workers comp settlement is worth depends on three things: the body part injured, your impairment rating, and your weekly wage. Typical Tennessee settlements run Many Tennessee claims settle in the 20000 to 40000 range; serious or attorney-represented permanent-injury cases commonly run 35000 to 85000 or higher. Every case differs — confirm with your state board and a licensed attorney..
This guide lays out the Tennessee caps, the body-part schedule, and how the math works, in plain English. All figures are from Tennessee sources, verified as of June 2026.
Want a quick estimate for your own injury?
Tennessee Body-Part Settlement Values
If your injury is a permanent loss to a specific body part, Tennessee 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 Tennessee figures:
| Body part (scheduled loss) | Statutory weeks of benefits |
| Effective July | 1 weeks |
| Abolished The Old Scheduled-Member Weeks — Arm/Hand/Leg/Foot/Eye/Etc. — And Converted All Injuries To A Whole-Body Impairment-Rating Method Capped At | 450 weeks |
Whole-body / maximum: up to 450 (whole-body maximum for the initial award; the “resulting award” may then be increased — capped at 1.5× the initial award if the worker returns to work at the same/greater wage, or up to 6× the impairment rating if the worker does not return to work, after applying statutory multipliers) weeks.
How Tennessee Calculates Your Payout
The weekly comp rate is 66 2/3% (two-thirds) of the injured worker’s pre-injury average weekly wage, then capped at the state maximum (1426.70) and floored at the state minimum (194.55) in effect for the injury date. The maximum equals 100% of the statewide average weekly wage and changes each July 1.
Permanent disability: Impairment-rating times weeks (whole-body method). For injuries on/after July 1, 2014, the initial PPD award = AMA Guides (6th Ed.) impairment rating × 450 weeks × the weekly comp rate. Tennessee no longer uses a separate scheduled-body-part list; nearly all injuries are rated as body-as-a-whole.
Offsets: For Permanent Total Disability, benefits are coordinated with Social Security old-age (retirement) benefits — PTD is generally payable until the worker qualifies for full SSA retirement, with statutory adjustment. Tennessee has no reverse-offset law, so any SSDI offset (combined benefits capped at 80% of average current earnings) is taken by the SSA against the federal benefit, not by the Tennessee workers’ comp carrier.
No offset for SSA retirement against ordinary PPD.
What Settlements Actually Run in Tennessee
Many Tennessee claims settle in the 20000 to 40000 range; serious or attorney-represented permanent-injury cases commonly run 35000 to 85000 or higher. Every case differs — confirm with your state board and a licensed attorney. That said, no two cases are alike — the number that matters is the one your own injury, rating, and wage produce, not a statewide average.
What drives a Tennessee settlement: Body part/region injured, the AMA Guides 6th Edition impairment rating, the worker’s average weekly wage (which sets the comp rate), whether and at what wage the worker returns to work, age (1.2× if over 40), education (1.45× if no high-school diploma/GED), local unemployment (1.3× factor), and future/open medical benefits
How Workers’ Comp Settlements Work in Tennessee
A Tennessee 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 Tennessee
Most states, including how Tennessee 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 Tennessee settlement rules: Tennessee runs disputed claims through the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims and the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (created by the 2014 reform), with mandatory mediation via a Petition for Benefit Determination before a formal hearing. Impairment ratings must use the AMA Guides 6th Edition.
The PPD award has two stages: an “original/initial award” (impairment × 450 weeks) plus a possible “increased/resulting award” using multipliers (1.35× if not back to work at 100% of pre-injury wage at the end of the benefit period, plus the age/education/unemployment factors above). Settlements must be approved by a workers’ comp judge or the Bureau to be valid.
This is a neutral reference for injured workers — many claimants may be entitled to these benefits, but you should confirm your figures with the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and a licensed Tennessee attorney; nothing here guarantees an outcome or constitutes legal advice.
Understanding Your Tennessee Workers Comp Settlement
The size of a Tennessee 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 a Tennessee workers comp settlement is built from.
If any part of your Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
There is no single average — a Tennessee settlement depends on the body part, your impairment rating, and your wage. Typical ranges run Many Tennessee claims settle in the 20000 to 40000 range; serious or attorney-represented permanent-injury cases commonly run 35000 to 85000 or higher. Every case differs — confirm with your state board and a licensed attorney..
Use the calculator on this page for an estimate, and remember every case is different.
How is a Tennessee workers’ comp settlement calculated?
Tennessee generally pays a share of your average weekly wage (capped at $1426.70/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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee Sources & Resources
- Tennessee Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (within the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development): https://www.tn.gov/workforce/injuries-at-work.html
- Tennessee Workers’ Comp Statute: https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-50/chapter-6/part-2/section-50-6-207/
- U.S. Department of Labor — Workers’ Comp: dol.gov
- NCCI (rating/benefit data): ncci.com
These Tennessee workers comp settlement figures were last verified against official sources in June 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.
More Tennessee Workers’ Comp Guides
- How to File a Tennessee Workers’ Comp Claim
- Tennessee 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.