Arizona Workers' Compensation Settlement Calculator
Estimate Arizona workers' comp — Max Average Monthly Wage, 7-Day Waiting Period, PPD Paid in Months Not Weeks
Arizona workers' compensation claims are governed by A.R.S. § 23-1041 / ICA AMW Statutory Maximum Table (2026) (Max Average Monthly Wage): Max $6,131.00/mo (≈$1,414.85/wk) for injuries 01-01-2026 through 12-31-2026 — commission-adjusted every August 1 via the BLS Employment Cost Index, capped at 5% growth/year and never decreased year-over-year. Of the 3 landmark Arizona workers' compensation awards documented on this page, the largest is $202K (Statutory-maximum PPD schedule award — total loss of major arm: 60-month schedule at 55% of the 2026 max AMW; 2026).
🌵 ARIZONA: Max Average Monthly Wage | 7-Day Waiting Period | PPD Paid in Months, Not Weeks
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
Arizona Workers' Compensation Law
Arizona workers' compensation benefits is governed by A.R.S. § 23-1041 / ICA AMW Statutory Maximum Table (2026) (Max Average Monthly Wage): Max $6,131.00/mo (≈$1,414.85/wk) for injuries occurring 01-01-2026 through 12-31-2026 — commission-adjusted every August 1 via the BLS Employment Cost Index, capped at 5% growth/year. Average monthly wage is computed from actual pre-injury earnings (or comparable-employee wages for workers employed under 30 days); a statutory floor of $200/mo applies as the minimum wage basis.
TTD/PTD Rate — 66⅔% (A.R.S. § 23-1045): Temporary and permanent total disability both pay 66⅔% of average monthly wage — max $4,087.33/mo at the 2026 cap — plus a flat $100/mo allowance if the worker has dependents. A 7-day waiting period applies before benefits start (A.R.S. § 23-1062); if disability continues 14 days, the first 7 days are paid retroactively. PTD is presumed for catastrophic losses such as both eyes, both hands or feet, one hand and one foot, or incurable insanity from a head injury.
PPD Schedule — Months, Not Weeks (A.R.S. § 23-1044): Unlike almost every other state, Arizona schedules permanent partial disability in MONTHS, not weeks, at 55% of average monthly wage. Examples: major hand = 50 months, major arm = 60 months, leg = 50 months, thumb = 15 months, complete hearing loss (both ears) = 60 months. At the 2026 max AMW, a total major-hand loss caps out at $168,602.50; a major-arm loss at $202,323.00. Non-scheduled injuries instead pay 55% of the difference between pre- and post-injury earning capacity.
Key Arizona Workers' Compensation Statutes
Arizona workers' compensation benefits operates under these critical legal rules:
A.R.S. § 23-1041 / ICA AMW Statutory Maximum Table (2026)
Max Average Monthly WageStandard: Max $6,131.00/mo (≈$1,414.85/wk) for injuries 01-01-2026 through 12-31-2026 — commission-adjusted every August 1 via the BLS Employment Cost Index, capped at 5% growth/year and never decreased year-over-year
Scope: AMW = actual pre-injury monthly wage (or comparable-employee wage for workers employed under 30 days; guaranteed pay for contract workers, never below comparable non-contract wage). $200/mo statutory minimum wage basis applies for workers 18+.
A.R.S. § 23-1045
TTD/PTD Rate — 66⅔%Standard: 66⅔% of average monthly wage for both temporary total and permanent total disability — max $4,087.33/mo at the 2026 cap — plus a flat $100/mo if the worker has dependents
Scope: PTD pays the same 66⅔% rate for life/duration of disability. Presumed PTD (no vocational proof needed) for: loss of both eyes, both feet, both hands, one hand + one foot, incurable insanity/imbecility from a skull injury, or paralysis of both arms, both legs, or one of each. A 7-day waiting period applies before benefits start (A.R.S. § 23-1062); paid retroactively if disability continues 14+ days.
A.R.S. § 23-1044
PPD Schedule — Months, Not WeeksStandard: 55% of average monthly wage × a scheduled number of MONTHS per body part — unlike almost every other state, which schedules PPD in weeks
Scope: Examples: major hand 50 months, minor hand 40, major arm 60, minor arm 50, leg 50, foot 40, thumb 15, index finger 9, great toe 7, complete sight loss (one eye) 25, complete hearing loss (both ears) 60. At the 2026 max AMW: major-hand cap = $168,602.50; major-arm cap = $202,323.00. Non-scheduled injuries (back, shoulder, most internal) instead pay 55% of the difference between pre- and post-injury earning capacity.
A.R.S. § 23-1022
Exclusive Remedy + Willful Misconduct ExceptionStandard: Workers' comp is the exclusive remedy against the employer or a co-employee for on-the-job injury or death
Scope: Exception: an employee may sue if the injury results from 'willful misconduct' — an act done knowingly and purposely with the direct object of injuring another — personal to the employer or co-employee. Medical malpractice claims against hospital employees are also excluded from the exclusive-remedy bar (subject to a WC lien). Third-party claims against a non-employer (A.R.S. § 23-1023) run separately: the injured worker can sue that third party while still collecting WC; the insurer holds a lien on any recovery.
A.R.S. § 23-1061
1-Year Claim Filing DeadlineStandard: Written claim must be filed within 1 year of the injury (2 years for temporary-partial disability entitlement disputes)
Scope: Employer must notify its insurance carrier and the Industrial Commission within 10 days of learning of an accident; the carrier must forward the report to the commission within 7 business days. Carrier must accept or deny the claim within 21 days of notification — missing that window means compensation must be paid as if accepted. Carrier has 21 days to respond to any petition to reopen.
A.R.S. § 23-906
Employee Pre-Injury Opt-Out RightStandard: An employee may, by signed written notice filed BEFORE any injury occurs, reject workers' comp coverage and retain the right to sue at common law
Scope: Without a pre-injury written rejection, employees 'shall be conclusively presumed' to have accepted WC coverage. Employers must post a bilingual (English/Spanish) notice of this right; failure to post lets the injured worker choose WC or a lawsuit even after the injury. Underpinning the market: Arizona uses a competitive private-carrier + self-insurance system (self-insurers need a min. $100,000 deposit) with a single statewide Assigned Risk Plan as a backstop for employers rejected by 2+ insurers (A.R.S. §§ 23-961, 23-1091) — not a monopolistic state fund.
Recovery Structure
Medical, surgical, and hospital treatment (employer-paid, no dollar cap), wage-replacement at 66⅔% of average monthly wage subject to the state maximum, scheduled or non-scheduled permanent disability awards, vocational rehabilitation through the Special Fund, and death/survivor benefits. Claims must be filed in writing within 1 year of the injury (2 years for temporary-partial disability entitlement disputes). No pain-and-suffering under WC — the trade-off for exclusive remedy.
Key Arizona Doctrines
Exclusive Remedy + Willful Misconduct Exception: Workers' comp is the exclusive remedy against the employer or a co-employee; injured workers can sue only for willful misconduct (an act done knowingly and purposely to injure) or hospital medical malpractice. Employee Pre-Injury Opt-Out Right: An employee may, by signed written notice filed BEFORE the injury, reject WC coverage and keep the right to sue at common law — a rare provision most states do not give employees; absent that notice, WC coverage is conclusively presumed accepted.
Damage Structure + Caps
Max average monthly wage $6,131.00 (2026) → max TTD/PTD $4,087.33/mo; PPD scheduled awards at 55% AMW × months (major hand 50 mo., major arm 60 mo.); death benefits: spouse 66⅔% AMW (no children) or 35% AMW (with children) + 31⅔% AMW split among children, burial up to $5,000; Special Fund apportionment limits employer/carrier liability when a prior industrial or qualifying non-industrial impairment (24 listed conditions) contributes to the new injury.
Arizona Workers' Compensation Benefit Examples
Statutory-maximum 2026 benefit calculations under Arizona's formula-based system (Arizona pays PPD by schedule, not negotiated settlement, so the figures below are calculated directly from current law rather than individual case awards):
| Amount | Year | Case / Injury |
|---|---|---|
| $169K | 2026 | Statutory-maximum PPD schedule award — total loss of major (dominant) hand: 50-month schedule at 55% of the 2026 max AMW ($6,131.00/mo) = $168,602.50 — Total loss of major hand (scheduled injury) |
| $202K | 2026 | Statutory-maximum PPD schedule award — total loss of major arm: 60-month schedule at 55% of the 2026 max AMW — Total loss of major arm (scheduled injury) |
| $49K | 2026 | Statutory-maximum Temporary/Permanent Total Disability benefit — 66⅔% of the 2026 max AMW, annualized (paid monthly for the duration of disability or for life) — Total disability (any qualifying catastrophic injury) |
Arizona Workers' Compensation FAQs
What is the maximum workers' comp benefit in Arizona for 2026?
The 2026 max average monthly wage (AMW) is $6,131.00/mo (A.R.S. § 23-1041), set by the Industrial Commission of Arizona and adjusted every August 1 using the BLS Employment Cost Index (capped at 5% growth/year). Temporary and permanent total disability pay 66⅔% of AMW, so the maximum TTD/PTD benefit for 2026 is $4,087.33/mo (≈$943/wk) — plus $100/mo if you have dependents.
How long do I have to file an Arizona workers' comp claim?
You must file your claim in writing within 1 year after the injury occurred (A.R.S. § 23-1061(A)). For temporary-partial disability entitlement, the deadline is 2 years. Your employer must notify its insurance carrier and the Industrial Commission within 10 days of learning of the accident, and the carrier must accept or deny your claim within 21 days — if it doesn't respond in that window, compensation must be paid as if accepted.
Can I sue my employer in Arizona in addition to workers' comp?
Generally NO — A.R.S. § 23-1022 makes workers' comp the exclusive remedy against your employer or a co-employee. The narrow exception is willful misconduct: an act done knowingly and purposely with the direct intent to injure. Medical malpractice claims against hospital employees are also excluded from the exclusive-remedy bar. Separately, if a THIRD PARTY (not your employer) caused your injury — e.g., a subcontractor or equipment manufacturer — you can sue them directly while still collecting workers' comp (A.R.S. § 23-1023); your insurer holds a lien on any recovery.
How is permanent partial disability (PPD) calculated in Arizona?
Arizona is unusual: PPD for scheduled injuries (loss of a hand, arm, leg, finger, eye, hearing, etc.) is paid at 55% of your average monthly wage for a set number of MONTHS, not weeks — e.g., 50 months for a major hand, 60 months for a major arm, 15 months for a thumb (A.R.S. § 23-1044). Non-scheduled injuries (back, shoulder, most internal injuries) instead pay 55% of the difference between what you earned before the injury and what you're able to earn afterward.
Should I accept the first settlement or award offer?
Be cautious. Arizona's PPD and PTD amounts are formula-driven, but the underlying determinations — average monthly wage, whether an injury is scheduled vs. non-scheduled, and earning-capacity loss — are frequently contested and can swing the total award significantly. Before accepting a determination, get an independent medical evaluation and consult a workers' comp attorney; you have 90 days to request a hearing on any commission determination you disagree with (A.R.S. § 23-1047).
Pending Arizona Workers' Compensation Issues
Active legal developments (as of April 2026):
- Individual named court-case or firm-published settlement dollar amounts for Arizona workers' comp claims has not been independently confirmed via available research tools August 2026 (search engines, court/verdict databases, and most law-firm case-results pages were blocked or unreachable). Because Arizona's PPD system is formula/schedule-driven rather than negotiated, the landmark_verdicts entries above are calculated directly from the verified 2026 statutory maximum AMW and the A.R.S. §§ 23-1044/23-1045 formulas — not documented individual case settlements. Flag before publishing as 'real verdicts.'
- The $200/mo statutory minimum wage basis in A.R.S. § 23-1041 is old, unchanged text and is functionally obsolete given Arizona's current minimum wage (~$14.70/hr ≈ $2,548/mo) — actual benefit floors in practice are driven by real wages, not this figure.
- No statute text found confirms an annual cost-of-living adjustment to ONGOING PTD or death-benefit payments after the injury date (unlike Washington's explicit July 1 COLA). Arizona's rate appears fixed at whatever AMW cap was in effect on the injury date; this was not claimed in the content because it has not been fully confirmed within session.
- azica.gov (Industrial Commission of Arizona) was not directly accessible; the 2026 AMW figure ($6,131.00/mo) was confirmed via an archived copy of the ICA's official 'AMW Statutory Maximum' table page rather than the live page. Recommend a manual spot-check of https://www.azica.gov/claims-amw-statutory-maximum-information-page before publishing.
- Whether Arizona's former State Compensation Fund (reportedly privatized/demutualized into CopperPoint in the 2010s) retains any residual statutory role has not been independently confirmed August 2026. Current statutes (A.R.S. §§ 23-961, 23-1091) confirm a competitive private-carrier + self-insurance market with an Assigned Risk Plan backstop, which is what the content states — the historical privatization detail itself was left out as unconfirmed.
Informational only — consult a licensed attorney for case-specific advice.
Primary Sources
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/01041.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/01044.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/01045.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/01022.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/01023.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/01046.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/01061.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/01062.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/00906.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/01065.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/00961.htm
- www.azleg.gov/ars/23/01091.htm
- www.azica.gov/claims-amw-statutory-maximum-information-page
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
Alabama
Max $1,219/wk TTD, but non-scheduled PPD (back injuries) capped at just $220/wk
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
All Workers' Compensation Calculators by State
Other Calculators for Arizona
Each Arizona calculator reflects state-specific laws (caps, statutes of limitations, comparative-negligence rules) and uses Arizona verdict data where available.