WorkersPermanent partial disability, usually shortened to PPD, is the benefit paid when a work injury leaves you with a lasting impairment but you can still do some kind of work. It is often the largest part of the indemnity side of a claim, and it is the part most workers search for when they type "permanent partial disability settlement calculator." This guide explains what PPD is, how impairment ratings feed it, how scheduled and whole-body injuries differ, and how states split between impairment-based and wage-loss systems. It also includes an estimator that runs the common formula using the numbers you enter.
The estimator has no built-in state schedule, on purpose. Weeks, rates and rating rules are written by each state and change over time, so you type in the figures from your own state's chart or agency. Workers' compensation is a state system, so treat the result as a planning estimate, not a legal determination or an offer.
PPD estimator
Enter the figures from your state's schedule and your doctor's rating report. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
Estimate only. This uses the common formula weeks × weekly rate × % impairment. Some states use a different formula, for example converting each point of impairment to a set number of weeks, adjusting for age or occupation, or using a wage-loss measure. If your state converts the rating directly into weeks, enter those weeks and set the rating to 100. The general two-thirds (66⅔%) rate is a common rule that varies by state.
What permanent partial disability means
Each word in the name matters. The disability is permanent because your doctor expects the impairment to last, and it is partial because you are not judged unable to do any work at all, which would be permanent total disability instead. PPD usually becomes the main question after you reach maximum medical improvement, when temporary wage-replacement benefits typically end or change. Our guides to TTD benefits and what happens at MMI cover the steps that come before.
PPD is a benefit, not the same thing as a settlement. A settlement may use the PPD value as one input, alongside future medical care and other issues, but it can end up higher or lower. See what goes into the value of a case for how the pieces fit.
How impairment ratings work
An impairment rating is a percentage that a physician assigns to describe the lasting loss caused by the injury. Many states rely on a version of the American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, although the edition and the rules for applying it differ. The doctor generally assigns the rating at MMI, after examining you and reviewing test results, and the report should explain the findings behind the number. A rating may be for a single body part, such as a hand, or for the whole person, depending on the injury and the state.
Because the rating multiplies into the formula, disagreements about it are common. If the insurer's examiner and your treating doctor differ, most states offer a way to dispute the rating, and deadlines can be short. Ask for the rating report in writing and check your state's process promptly.
Scheduled injuries and whole-body injuries
States generally sort permanent injuries into two groups. Scheduled injuries are to body parts listed in a statute, such as an arm, leg, hand, foot, finger or eye. The statute assigns a number of weeks to each at total loss, and your award uses your percentage of loss of that part. For a deeper look at reading these lists, see our guide to how to read a workers' comp settlement chart.
Non-scheduled injuries, often called whole-body or whole-person injuries, are not on the list. They commonly involve the spine, neck, head, internal organs or several body parts at once. These are usually valued through a whole-person impairment rating, an earning-capacity analysis or both, and the result often depends more on medical evidence and negotiation than on a lookup table.
Impairment-based states and wage-loss states
The bigger split is in how a state measures permanent disability. Three broad models appear in our state guides, and many states blend them.
| Model | How value is generally set | What matters most | Examples from our guides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled loss | Fixed weeks per body part, multiplied by percentage of loss and weekly rate | Which body part and how much function is lost | New York, Illinois, Virginia |
| Impairment rating converted by formula | A medical percentage is converted into weeks or a rating, sometimes with adjustments | The rating, and any age or occupation factors | Texas, California |
| Wage loss or earning capacity | Benefits depend on what the injury does to your ability to earn | Return-to-work status, restrictions and earnings | Pennsylvania, and non-scheduled injuries in New York |
This is why an estimator that multiplies weeks, rate and rating fits scheduled and some impairment-based systems well but is only a rough guide in wage-loss systems. If your state is in the third group, use the result as a sanity check, not a forecast.
How to use the estimator well
- Work out your average weekly wage first. Our average weekly wage estimator helps, and entering the wage above prefills a rate you can edit.
- Look up your state's weekly rate rule and maximum for your injury date, and enter the rate directly if it is not two-thirds of your wage.
- Find the weeks assigned to your body part, or the conversion rule for your rating, in your state's schedule.
- Enter the percentage from your doctor's written report, not an estimate you heard in conversation.
- Run the result under a few ratings to see how sensitive the number is to a dispute.
Hypothetical example with invented numbers
Suppose a made-up state assigns 200 weeks to a leg at total loss, a worker's weekly rate is $500, and the doctor rates a 20% loss of use. The formula gives 200 weeks × 20% = 40 weeks, and 40 weeks × $500 = $20,000. If the rating were disputed and raised to 25%, the same inputs would give 50 weeks and $25,000. These figures are invented to show sensitivity, not any state's actual schedule.
What the estimator does not include
A real award can differ from the formula result. Age or occupation adjustments, apportionment for pre-existing conditions, credits for payments already made, attorney fees and tax questions are not modeled. A lump sum may also be discounted compared with the total of future weekly checks, as discussed in our guide to lump sum vs weekly payments. Before you rely on any estimate, compare it with the figure your state agency or an attorney gives you.
Frequently asked questions
What is permanent partial disability (PPD)?
PPD is a workers' compensation benefit for a lasting impairment from a work injury when you can still do some work. It is usually evaluated after maximum medical improvement and is often based on an impairment rating.
How is a PPD amount calculated?
A common structure is the weeks assigned by your state's schedule, multiplied by your percentage of impairment, multiplied by your weekly benefit rate. Some states use different formulas, so confirm yours with the state agency.
Who decides my impairment rating?
Usually a doctor, often your treating physician or a designated examiner, assigns it at maximum medical improvement. Most states let you dispute a rating through a second opinion, panel or hearing, but deadlines can be short.
What is the difference between scheduled and non-scheduled injuries?
Scheduled injuries involve body parts listed in a state schedule with assigned weeks. Non-scheduled injuries, such as many spine injuries, are usually valued through a whole-person rating or an earning-capacity analysis.
Is the PPD estimate what I will receive?
Not necessarily. It is a simple planning calculation based on the numbers you enter. Your actual benefit depends on your state's formula, adjustments, credits and any negotiated settlement.
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