Arkansas Workers' Compensation Settlement Calculator
Estimate Arkansas workers' comp — Max Compensation Rate, Waiting Period, PPD — Scheduled Injury Schedule
Arkansas workers' compensation claims are governed by Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-501(b) (Max Compensation Rate): Max $953/wk (85% of 2026 SAWW $1,120.68); min $20/wk — 66-2/3% of AWW formula. Of the 3 landmark Arkansas workers' compensation awards documented on this page, the largest is $222K (Ark. Dep't of Transp. v. Abercrombie, 2019 Ark. App. 372 — 50% wage-loss disability + 19% permanent impairment (69% combined) to the body as a whole, affirmed by the Court of Appeals. Amount shown is computed: 69% × 450-week § 11-9-522 schedule × the 2026 PPD max rate ($715/wk) — not the literal dollar figure stated in the 2019 opinion.; 2019).
💎 ARKANSAS: Max Compensation Rate | Waiting Period | PPD — Scheduled Injury Schedule
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
Arkansas Workers' Compensation Law
Arkansas workers' compensation benefits is governed by Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-501(b) (Max Compensation Rate): the maximum weekly benefit for TTD and PTD is 85% of the state average weekly wage (SAWW), currently $953/week for 2026 (SAWW $1,120.68). Your actual weekly rate equals 66-2/3% of your own average weekly wage, subject to a $20/week statutory minimum, capped at the $953 maximum, and rounded to the nearest dollar.
Waiting Period (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-501(a)): no compensation is payable for the first 7 days of disability, excluding the day of injury. If disability extends to a full two weeks (14 days), benefits become payable retroactively from day one.
PPD — Scheduled Injury Schedule (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-521): amputations and permanent loss of use of a scheduled body part are compensated in fixed weeks at the PPD rate (max $715/week in 2026 — 75% of the TTD rate). Examples: arm amputated above the elbow = 244 weeks, leg amputated above the knee = 184 weeks, hand amputated = 183 weeks, loss of hearing in both ears = 158 weeks.
Key Arkansas Workers' Compensation Statutes
Arkansas workers' compensation benefits operates under these critical legal rules:
Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-501(b)
Max Compensation RateStandard: Max $953/wk (85% of 2026 SAWW $1,120.68); min $20/wk — 66-2/3% of AWW formula
Scope: Applies to TTD and PTD. Weekly rate = 66-2/3% of the employee's own average weekly wage, capped at 85% of the state average weekly wage (SAWW) for the calendar year of injury, floored at a $20/wk statutory minimum, and rounded to the nearest whole dollar (rounds up at 50 cents or more).
Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-501(a)
Waiting PeriodStandard: 7 days (day of injury excluded); paid retroactively if disability reaches 14 days
Scope: No compensation for the first 7 days' disability, excluding the day of injury. If the disability extends to a full two weeks (14 days), compensation becomes payable retroactively from the first day of disability.
Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-521
PPD — Scheduled Injury ScheduleStandard: Fixed weeks per body part, paid at the PPD rate (max $715/wk in 2026 — 75% of the TTD rate)
Scope: Scheduled amputations/permanent loss of use: arm amputated above the elbow = 244 weeks, leg amputated above the knee = 184 weeks, hand amputated = 183 weeks, eye enucleated with prior useful vision = 105 weeks, loss of hearing in both ears = 158 weeks. Partial losses and multiple-digit losses are prorated.
Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-522
Wage-Loss Disability (Unscheduled)Standard: Body-as-a-whole valued at 450 weeks total; odd-lot doctrine expressly barred
Scope: For non-scheduled injuries (e.g., back, neck), the Commission may award wage-loss disability above the bare impairment rating, weighing age, education, and work experience — capped at 450 weeks combined. A worker who returns to equal-or-greater wages cannot collect wage-loss disability beyond the impairment percentage, and Arkansas courts/the Commission are statutorily barred from applying the 'odd-lot doctrine' to expand an award.
Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-105 / § 11-9-410
Exclusive Remedy + Third-Party ClaimsStandard: Workers' comp is the exclusive remedy against the employer; third-party tort claims are preserved
Scope: Bars a civil suit against the employer, except when the employer failed to secure required workers'-comp coverage (the employee may then elect a court action, relieved of the burden to plead/prove freedom from contributory negligence). A third-party tort claim against a non-employer defendant remains available; the employer/carrier gets a first lien on two-thirds of net third-party recovery, but the injured worker is guaranteed at least one-third of the amount recovered.
Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-701 / § 11-9-702
Notice & Statute of LimitationsStandard: Notice to employer per Commission-approved form; 2-year SOL from injury (or 1 year from last payment, whichever is later)
Scope: Injury must be reported to the employer on the Commission-prescribed/approved form unless the employer already knew or the employee was medically unable. Claims for disability must be filed within 2 years of the compensable injury; occupational-disease claims within 2 years of the last injurious exposure; silicosis/asbestosis within 1 year of disablement (occurring within 3 years of last exposure); death claims within 2 years of death. Claims for additional compensation: 1 year from the last payment or 2 years from the injury, whichever is greater.
Recovery Structure
Medical treatment (employer-directed, typically unlimited for the compensable condition), wage-replacement benefits at 66-2/3% of average weekly wage subject to the annual state maximum, permanent impairment awards via the scheduled (§ 11-9-521) or unscheduled wage-loss (§ 11-9-522) system, vocational rehabilitation, and death/dependency benefits. No pain-and-suffering recovery under workers' comp — that trade-off is what makes the remedy exclusive.
Key Arkansas Doctrines
Wage-Loss Disability (Unscheduled): unscheduled permanent partial disability is valued against a 450-week body-as-whole scale; the Commission weighs age, education, and work experience to award wage-loss disability above the bare impairment rating — but Arkansas expressly bars the 'odd-lot doctrine,' and a worker who returns to equal-or-greater wages cannot collect wage-loss above the impairment percentage. Exclusive Remedy + Third-Party Claims: workers' comp bars a civil suit against the employer, with a narrow exception for employers that failed to secure required coverage; third-party tort claims against non-employer defendants remain available alongside a comp claim.
Damage Structure + Caps
Medical benefits (usually full for the compensable condition), TTD/PTD wage replacement capped at $953/week (85% SAWW, 2026), PPD capped at $715/week (75% of the TTD rate), unscheduled wage-loss disability capped at 450 weeks total, $20/week statutory minimum on all indemnity benefits.
Arkansas Workers' Compensation Verdicts + Averages
Arkansas opinions disclose award percentages rather than lump sums — these dollar values are computed from the cited cases' real percentages at the current statutory schedule (marked as calculations in each entry):
| Amount | Year | Case / Injury |
|---|---|---|
| $135K | 2025 | Univ. of Ark. for Med. Scis. v. Pozner, 2025 Ark. App. 222 — 35% wage-loss disability + 7% permanent impairment (42% combined) to the body as a whole. Amount shown is computed: 42% × 450-week § 11-9-522 schedule × the 2026 PPD max rate ($715/wk) — not the literal dollar figure stated in the 2025 opinion (which discloses percentages, not a lump sum). — Spinal fractures at L1, L2, and T12 — nurse practitioner, second fracture sustained during a kyphoplasty procedure |
| $222K | 2019 | Ark. Dep't of Transp. v. Abercrombie, 2019 Ark. App. 372 — 50% wage-loss disability + 19% permanent impairment (69% combined) to the body as a whole, affirmed by the Court of Appeals. Amount shown is computed: 69% × 450-week § 11-9-522 schedule × the 2026 PPD max rate ($715/wk) — not the literal dollar figure stated in the 2019 opinion. — Back injury from moving equipment; two spinal surgeries plus an abdominal-hematoma surgical complication |
| $80K | 2025 | Gainey v. Genoa School District, 2025 Ark. App. 330 — 25% permanent impairment to the body as a whole; PTD and additional wage-loss disability were denied on appeal. Amount shown is computed: 25% × 450-week § 11-9-522 schedule × the 2026 PPD max rate ($715/wk) — not the literal dollar figure stated in the 2025 opinion. — Back injury from a fall (tailbone/head impact) requiring spinal decompression and fusion surgery |
Arkansas Workers' Compensation FAQs
What is the maximum weekly workers' comp benefit in Arkansas for 2026?
The 2026 Arkansas maximum is $953/week for TTD and PTD (85% of the $1,120.68 state average weekly wage, Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-501(b)). PPD (permanent partial disability) is capped separately at $715/week (75% of the TTD rate). Your actual weekly benefit equals 66-2/3% of your own average weekly wage, up to whichever cap applies, with a $20/week statutory minimum.
How long do I have to report my Arkansas work injury?
Report the injury to your employer as soon as possible, on the form the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission prescribes or your employer's reasonable reporting procedure requires (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-701). Missing formal notice does not automatically bar your claim if your employer already knew about the injury or the Commission excuses the delay for good reason — but get it in writing and keep a copy regardless.
Can I sue my employer in Arkansas in addition to workers' comp?
Generally NO — Arkansas workers' comp is your 'exclusive remedy' against your employer (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-105). The main exception: if your employer failed to carry required workers' comp coverage, you can elect to sue in court instead, without having to prove you were free of contributory negligence. Separately, you can almost always pursue a third-party claim (e.g., against an equipment manufacturer or negligent subcontractor) alongside your comp claim — Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-410 lets your employer's carrier recover its lien from that recovery, but guarantees you at least one-third of what's recovered from the third party.
What is 'wage-loss disability' in an Arkansas workers' comp claim?
For injuries not on the § 11-9-521 schedule (i.e., back, neck, and other 'body as a whole' injuries), Arkansas lets the Commission award wage-loss disability above your bare medical impairment rating — factoring in your age, education, and work experience — up to a combined 450-week cap (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-522). If you return to work at your pre-injury wage or higher, you generally can't collect wage-loss disability beyond your impairment percentage, and the 'odd-lot doctrine' cannot be used to expand an award.
Should I accept the first settlement offer in my Arkansas case?
Almost never without review. Early offers are usually built around the treating doctor's impairment rating alone and can undervalue wage-loss disability, future medical needs, and vocational impact. Before agreeing to any lump-sum commutation or joint-petition settlement (which requires Commission approval under Arkansas law), get an independent medical evaluation and talk to a workers' comp attorney — most work on contingency, with fees regulated by Arkansas statute.
Pending Arkansas Workers' Compensation Issues
Active legal developments (as of April 2026):
- 2026 max/min weekly benefit ($953/$20) and SAWW ($1,120.68) are sourced from practicing-attorney publications (internally consistent with the § 11-9-501 85%-of-SAWW and rounding formulas), not the AWCC's own advisory PDF — the Commission's official advisories index page did not expose a machine-readable current-year row within available public sources; verify against AWCC's own annual indemnity-benefits advisory before publishing rate-sensitive content.
- Landmark-verdict dollar figures are formula-computed (award % × 450-week body-as-whole scale × the current 2026 PPD max rate), not amounts literally received in the cited case's year — none of roughly ten published Arkansas Court of Appeals workers'-comp opinions reviewed (Gainey, Pozner, Abercrombie, Mohammed, Watson, Wynne, Brannigan, Peco Foods, among others) disclosed a specific settlement or verdict dollar total; Arkansas does not appear to publish structured lump-sum settlement data the way some other states' court records do.
- The Second Injury Fund (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-525) closed to new claims after January 1, 2008, and PTD liability moved to the Death and Permanent Total Disability Trust Fund on January 1, 2010 — legacy fund only, not a live claim avenue for a new 2026 injury.
- § 11-9-501(b)(4)'s 85%-of-SAWW maximum is conditioned in the codified text on a December 1995 Insurance Commissioner certification of a ≥10% workers'-comp insurance rate decrease since July 1993 — current practice treats this as permanently satisfied and the 85% formula as standing law, but that conditional language itself was not found repealed in the statute text reviewed.
Informational only — consult a licensed attorney for case-specific advice.
Primary Sources
- codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-9-501
- codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-9-521
- codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-9-522
- codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-9-105
- codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-9-410
- codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-9-701
- codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-9-702
- codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-9-525
- www.jhatfieldlaw.com/springdale/workers-compensation-lawyer/how-much-workers-comp-pay-can-i-get-in-arkansas
- www.jhatfieldlaw.com/springdale/workers-compensation-lawyer/what-type-of-disability-can-i-claim
- www.jhatfieldlaw.com/about/case-results
- opinions.arcourts.gov/ark/courtofappeals/en/523492/1/document.do
- opinions.arcourts.gov/ark/courtofappeals/en/421264/1/document.do
- opinions.arcourts.gov/ark/courtofappeals/en/523641/1/document.do
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
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)
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