Alabama Workers' Compensation Settlement Calculator
Estimate Alabama workers' comp — Max/Min Weekly Rate + $220 PPD Cap, PPD Schedule (66⅔%), Exclusive Remedy
Alabama workers' compensation claims are governed by Ala. Code § 25-5-68 (Max/Min Weekly Rate + $220 PPD Cap): Max $1,219/wk, Min $335/wk (eff. Of the 4 landmark Alabama workers' compensation awards documented on this page, the largest is $234K (Statutory schedule example — complete loss of use of a leg (200 weeks x 2025-26 max rate); 2025).
🌺 ALABAMA: Max/Min Weekly Rate + $220 PPD Cap | Exclusive Remedy | 2-Year Statute of Limitations
Your Injury
Your Estimated Settlement
$6,000 — $6,000
Pain and suffering = $15,000 in medical bills × 0.0 severity multiplier. Your bills are already included in that figure, so they are not added again.
Workers' compensation is a no-fault system: your benefits are not reduced because you were partly or fully responsible for the accident.
Workers' compensation does not pay pain and suffering. Unlike a personal injury claim, it covers medical treatment and a portion of your lost wages only — so no pain-and-suffering amount is included above.
This figure does not include a permanent impairment award. If your injury leaves lasting limitations, most states add a separate payment based on a doctor's impairment rating and a statutory schedule.
If someone other than your employer caused the injury — a subcontractor, a driver, a defective machine — you may also have a separate personal injury claim against that party, and that claim can include pain and suffering.
Keep this estimate — it is gone when you close the tab.
Workers' Compensation Wage Benchmark — New York State claims only
Across New York State claims only, this benchmark is based on 5,586,588 real payments totaling $139.7B from official New York State workers' comp claims.
Average
$25K
Median
$20K
25th %ile
$13K
90th %ile
$44K
Source: New York State Workers' Compensation Board (via data.ny.gov). These figures come from New York State claims only and do not describe benefit levels in other states. Actual payouts may vary based on individual circumstances.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor
Alabama Workers' Compensation Law
Alabama workers' compensation benefits is governed by Ala. Code § 25-5-68 (Max/Min Weekly Rate + $220 PPD Cap): Max $1,219/wk, Min $335/wk (eff. July 1, 2026); most PPD 'other cases' further capped at the LESSER of $220/wk or 100% of AWW. Comp rate = not less than 27.5% nor more than 100% of the statewide average weekly wage (AWW), recalculated each July 1. For injuries July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026: Max $1,172/wk, Min $322/wk. Non-scheduled 'other cases' PPD (e.g., back injuries) is capped separately at $220/wk regardless of the general max — unchanged for years and among the lowest state caps nationally.
3-Day Waiting Period (Ala. Code § 25-5-59): No comp for first 3 days of disability (injury day + 3); benefits start day 4. If disability lasts 21+ days, the first 3 days are paid retroactively with the next installment. Any installment unpaid more than 30 days without good cause is penalized 15%.
PPD Schedule (66⅔%) (Ala. Code § 25-5-57): TTD/PTD/TPD = 66⅔% of average weekly earnings, subject to the § 25-5-68 max/min; scheduled members paid in weeks (arm 222 wks, leg 200 wks, hand 170 wks, eye 124 wks, thumb 62 wks). Average weekly earnings = total wages over the 52 weeks before injury ÷ 52. TPD capped at 300 weeks.
Key Alabama Workers' Compensation Statutes
Alabama workers' compensation benefits operates under these critical legal rules:
Ala. Code § 25-5-68
Max/Min Weekly Rate + $220 PPD CapStandard: Max $1,219/wk, Min $335/wk (eff. July 1, 2026); most PPD 'other cases' further capped at the LESSER of $220/wk or 100% of AWW
Scope: Comp rate = not less than 27.5% nor more than 100% of the statewide average weekly wage (AWW), recalculated each July 1. For injuries July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026: Max $1,172/wk, Min $322/wk. Non-scheduled 'other cases' PPD (e.g., back injuries) is capped separately at $220/wk regardless of the general max — unchanged for years and among the lowest state caps nationally.
Ala. Code § 25-5-59
3-Day Waiting PeriodStandard: No comp for first 3 days of disability (injury day + 3); benefits start day 4
Scope: If disability lasts 21+ days, the first 3 days are paid retroactively with the next installment. Any installment unpaid more than 30 days without good cause is penalized 15%.
Ala. Code § 25-5-57
PPD Schedule (66⅔%)Standard: TTD/PTD/TPD = 66⅔% of average weekly earnings, subject to the § 25-5-68 max/min; scheduled members paid in weeks (arm 222 wks, leg 200 wks, hand 170 wks, eye 124 wks, thumb 62 wks)
Scope: Average weekly earnings = total wages over the 52 weeks before injury ÷ 52. Combined/multiple scheduled losses run 300-400 weeks depending on combination; serious disfigurement compensable up to 100 weeks at judicial discretion. TPD capped at 300 weeks.
Ala. Code § 25-5-53
Exclusive RemedyStandard: WC is the injured worker's exclusive remedy against the employer — bars all common-law, statutory, or other claims for injury/death arising from employment
Scope: Immunity extends to co-employees (officers, directors, agents), insurance carriers, claims administrators, and safety-inspection personnel of self-insured employers. Sole exception: claims 'based upon willful conduct.' Criminal prosecution is not barred. Third-party claims against non-employer defendants remain available.
Ala. Code § 25-5-78
90-Day Notice DeadlineStandard: Written notice to employer required within 90 days of the accident (or death) or compensation is forfeited
Scope: Statute recommends notice 'within 5 days' as best practice, but the hard bar is 90 days — no medical fees or compensation are payable if written notice is not given within that window. Waivable only for physical/mental incapacity, fraud/deceit, or other compelling reasons.
Ala. Code § 25-5-80
2-Year Statute of LimitationsStandard: Claims/actions for compensation forever barred unless filed within 2 years of the accident (or within 2 years of death, if death occurs within 3 years of the accident)
Scope: If compensation payments were being made, the clock resets and doesn't start running until the date of the last payment. Lost-earning-capacity claims: 2 years from termination of employment. Extended 2 additional years for the claimant's physical/mental incapacity.
Recovery Structure
Medical treatment (typically reasonable and necessary care, unlimited), lost wages at 66⅔% of average weekly wage (AWW) subject to the § 25-5-68 state max/min, permanent impairment awards via the scheduled-member system (weeks × rate) or the $220/wk-capped 'other cases' system for non-scheduled injuries, vocational rehab, death/survivor benefits. No pain and suffering under WC (trade-off of exclusive remedy).
Key Alabama Doctrines
Exclusive Remedy: WC is the injured worker's exclusive remedy against the employer — bars all common-law, statutory, or other claims for injury/death arising from employment, except claims 'based upon willful conduct.' 2-Year Statute of Limitations: Claims/actions for compensation forever barred unless filed within 2 years of the accident.
Damage Structure + Caps
Medical benefits (usually full), lost wage replacement (66⅔% of AWW up to $1,219/wk max), scheduled permanent disability award (weeks × comp rate), non-scheduled 'other cases' PPD capped at $220/wk regardless of actual wage, death benefits.
Alabama Workers' Compensation: What the Schedule Pays
Alabama PPD outcomes computed directly from the statutory schedule and current comp rates (real settlements vary with disputed wages, causation, and vocational factors):
| Amount | Year | Case / Injury |
|---|---|---|
| $207K | 2026 | Statutory schedule example — complete loss of use of a hand (170 weeks x 2026-27 max rate) — Hand, complete loss of use (Ala. Code 25-5-57 schedule) |
| $234K | 2025 | Statutory schedule example — complete loss of use of a leg (200 weeks x 2025-26 max rate) — Leg, complete loss of use (Ala. Code 25-5-57 schedule) |
| $81K | 2026 | Statutory schedule example — 30% loss of use of an arm (66.6 weeks x 2026-27 max rate) — Arm, 30% permanent partial loss of use (Ala. Code 25-5-57 schedule) |
| $33K | 2026 | Statutory example — non-scheduled back injury at the $220/wk 'other cases' cap (150 weeks) — Back, non-scheduled permanent partial disability (Ala. Code 25-5-68 cap) |
Alabama Workers' Compensation FAQs
What is the maximum weekly workers' comp benefit in Alabama for 2026?
For injuries on or after July 1, 2026, the Alabama maximum is $1,219/week (Ala. Code § 25-5-68; 100% of the statewide average weekly wage). For injuries between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026, the max was $1,172/week. Your actual benefit = 66⅔% of your average weekly wage, capped by whichever max/min was in effect on your injury date.
How long do I have to report my Alabama work injury?
Alabama requires written notice to your employer within 90 days of the accident (Ala. Code § 25-5-78) — best practice is within 5 days. Missing the 90-day window forfeits medical fees and compensation, unless you can show physical/mental incapacity, employer fraud/deceit, or another compelling reason. Separately, you have 2 years to file a claim (§ 25-5-80).
Can I sue my employer in Alabama in addition to workers' comp?
Generally NO — Alabama workers' comp is 'exclusive remedy' (Ala. Code § 25-5-53), meaning WC is your only remedy against your employer, co-employees, and your employer's insurance carrier. The only exception is conduct that is 'willful.' Third-party claims against non-employer defendants (e.g., equipment manufacturer, subcontractor) remain available and can run parallel to your WC claim.
Why is Alabama's cap on back injury settlements so low?
Alabama uniquely caps non-scheduled 'other cases' PPD (injuries not on the § 25-5-57 body-part schedule — most commonly back, neck, and psychological injuries) at the lesser of $220/week or 100% of AWW, regardless of how much you actually earned. This flat $220/week figure has stayed unchanged for years and is one of the lowest disability caps in the country; a 2008 reform bill (SB 403) to remove it did not pass.
Should I accept the first settlement offer in my Alabama workers' comp case?
Almost never without review. Initial offers typically underestimate permanent impairment, future medical needs, and — for non-scheduled injuries — may not account for whether your injury should be valued at the general max/min rate instead of the lower $220/week 'other cases' cap. Get an independent medical evaluation and consult a workers' comp attorney before signing; Alabama courts must approve settlements to protect injured workers.
Pending Alabama Workers' Compensation Issues
Active legal developments (as of April 2026):
- 2026-27 max/min comp rate ($1,219/$335 per week, eff. July 1, 2026) is sourced from secondary aggregators citing the Alabama Dept. of Labor bulletin; the ADOL PDF itself was not directly accessible for verification — reconfirm against adol.alabama.gov each July when rates reset.
- Alabama's Second Injury Fund has been described by secondary sources as effectively frozen since 1992; its precise current statutory status (formally repealed vs. dormant) has not been independently confirmed against a specific code section as of August 2026.
- The $220/week 'other cases' PPD cap (§ 25-5-68) has not been increased in years; a 2008 bill (SB 403) to remove it did not pass — monitor for future reform attempts given its national-outlier status.
- Landmark verdict figures above are computed examples derived directly from the § 25-5-57 statutory schedule and current § 25-5-68 rates, not individually reported court verdicts — actual negotiated settlements vary with disputed AWW, causation, and vocational factors.
Informational only — consult a licensed attorney for case-specific advice.
Primary Sources
- law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-25/chapter-5/article-3/section-25-5-68
- law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-25/chapter-5/article-3/section-25-5-57
- law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-25/chapter-5/article-3/section-25-5-59
- law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-25/chapter-5/article-3/section-25-5-53
- law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-25/chapter-5/article-3/section-25-5-78
- law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-25/chapter-5/article-3/section-25-5-80
- compcharts.org/alabama/workers-comp
Other State Workers' Compensation Calculators
Washington
L&I state fund + self-insure, PPD dollar-amount schedule, $2,303.31/wk equiv
California
SIBTF reform 2026, $1,764/wk max, QME + SB 636
New York
$1,281.50/wk max, LWEC non-schedule PPD, 2025 Protection in Workplace Act
Texas
Non-subscriber option, $1,271/wk, IBR
Illinois
Lifetime uncapped medical, $2,045.63/wk (2026)
Florida
$1,358/wk, 104-week TTD cap, narrow catastrophic definition
Michigan
PIWEC phantom wages, 80% after-tax AWW, $1,201/wk max 2026
New Jersey
Second Injury Fund, 400/450-wk caps, $1,199/wk max 2026
Ohio
BWC monopoly fund, Industrial Commission PTD, $1,281/wk
Pennsylvania
Act 111 (2017), 500-wk partial cap, $1,394/wk max 2026
Arizona
$6,131/mo max AMW (66⅔% TTD/PTD), PPD paid in months not weeks
Colorado
Competitive state fund, $1,464/wk max (91% SAWW), 4-day notice deadline
Connecticut
Max $1,716/wk (2026), 28-day contest deadline, SIF closed since 1995
Georgia
Exclusive remedy, $800/wk TTD cap, catastrophic designation unlocks lifetime benefits
Iowa
80% spendable earnings, $2,431/wk max, active Second Injury Fund
Indiana
$877/wk max (66⅔% AWW), 8-day wait, Second Injury Fund
Kentucky
Impairment-factor PPD formula, $1,277.99/wk max, coal black-lung claims
Louisiana
Second Injury Fund, SEB to 520wks, $903/wk max (Sept 2026)
Massachusetts
Opt-out exclusive remedy, $1,922/wk max rate, PPD paid in statewide-wage multiples
Maryland
Exclusive remedy, $1,537/wk max (2026), Uninsured Employers' Fund safety net
Minnesota
Private-carrier market, $1,536.84/wk max, PTSD presumption for first responders
Missouri
Strict-construction state, TTD/PTD capped 105% SAWW, PPD capped 55% SAWW
North Carolina
500-week TTD/PPD cap, $1,446/wk max (2026), 66 2/3% AWW
Oklahoma
TTD/PTD capped at $1,128.66/wk, opt-out struck down, Multiple Injury Trust Fund
Oregon
3-way market (SAIF+private+self-insure), $1,943/wk max, CDA keeps medical open
South Carolina
Exclusive remedy, $1,189.94/wk max (2026), 500-wk TTD cap, lifetime for TBI/spinal
Tennessee
$1,488.30/wk max (FY26-27), 15-day notice, PPD = rating × 450 wks, no jury trials
Virginia
500-week comp cap (PTD lifetime), $1,507/wk max, 66 2/3% AWW
Wisconsin
Dual-track cap: $1,375/wk TTD (110% SAWW) vs just $454/wk PPD; 6/12-yr SOL
Alaska
PPI = $273K × WPI%, TTD/PTD 80% of wage, max $1,627/wk (2026)
Arkansas
Max $953/wk (85% SAWW), odd-lot doctrine barred, 450-wk wage-loss cap
Washington DC
Max $1,852.07/wk (Jan 2025), 30-day notice, LHWCA-style weeks-based PPD schedule
Delaware
Max $962.72/wk (2026), 90-day notice, Medicare-based HCPS fee caps
Hawaii
66⅔% AWW, $1,240/wk max (2026), Special Compensation Fund after 104wks
Idaho
Max $1,021.50/wk (90% ASW), 500-week whole man, ISIF second-injury fund
Kansas
$905/wk max TTD/PTD, 415-wk PPD cap, SB 430 (2024) raised PTD cap $155K→$400K
Maine
Max $1,561/wk (125% of SAWW), 7-day wait, no statutory minimum, exclusive remedy
Mississippi
Max $654.63/wk, 5-day wait, Second Injury Trust Fund
Montana
$1,192/wk max, 400-week PPD formula, 60-mo medical closure
North Dakota
Monopolistic state fund (WSI), $1,614/wk max, no private insurance or self-insurance
Nebraska
Max $1,166/wk (2026), Espinoza multi-member LOEC rule, exclusive remedy
New Hampshire
$2,309/wk cap (150% SAWW); Second Injury Fund; 3-yr claim filing deadline
New Mexico
100% SAWW cap, $1,146.66/wk max, $36/wk min since 1975
Nevada
Privatized market, monthly PPD annuity (0.6%/1% WPI), max $5,691.79/mo (FY27)
Rhode Island
62% AWW formula, $1,622/wk max, dedicated Workers' Compensation Court
South Dakota
No insurance mandate • $1,152/wk max (2026) • Subsequent Injury Fund repealed 1999
Utah
Max $1,376/wk (2026), 6-yr/12-yr filing window, narrow intentional-injury exception
Vermont
Max $1,914/wk (2026), 6-mo. filing deadline, whole-person PPD schedule
West Virginia
Deliberate-intent exception, $1,150.91/wk max, no punitive damages, privatized market
Wyoming
Monopolistic state fund, no private insurance; PTD capped at 80 months, not lifetime
Main Workers' Comp Calculator
Nationwide WC benefits overview