Workers' Comp Permanent Disability Estimator
Apply the statutory weeks-per-percent schedule to a PD rating to get a rough payout range — not a substitute for an actual rating.
Once you have a final permanent disability percentage, California's Labor Code 4658 schedule converts it into a number of payment weeks (the rate per percentage point increases in brackets, from 3 weeks/% up to 16 weeks/%), paid at two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a $160-$290/week range (or $240-$435/week for ratings 70% or higher).
Enter your final PD rating percentage and average weekly wage for a rough payout estimate.
Permanent Disability Estimator
Estimated Total PD Payout
Total Weeks
Weekly Rate
How this is calculated
Total weeks are computed cumulatively across the Labor Code 4658 brackets — the first 9.75 percentage points pay at 3 weeks each, the next portion (9.75%-14.75%) at 4 weeks each, and so on up through 16 weeks per percentage point above roughly 69.75%.
Your weekly dollar rate is two-thirds of your average weekly wage, floored and capped at $160/$290 per week (or $240/$435 for ratings 70% and above). Total payout = total weeks × weekly rate.
This tool assumes you already have your final PD rating percentage — it does not calculate that percentage from a medical impairment number, since that requires applying occupational variant tables and age adjustment factors specific to your job and the AMA Guides, which a simple calculator can't replicate.
Treat this as a rough sanity check on math you already have, not a substitute for a qualified medical evaluation or an attorney's review.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is permanent disability calculated in California workers' comp?
Your rated whole-person impairment (adjusted for occupation and age) determines a permanent disability percentage. That percentage is converted into a number of weeks of payment using the Labor Code 4658 schedule, and each week pays at two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to statutory minimum and maximum weekly rates.
What is the maximum weekly PD payment in California?
For ratings below 70%, the weekly rate is capped between $160 and $290. For ratings of 70% or more, the range is $240 to $435 per week. These caps have not been indexed to wage growth since 2019, unlike temporary disability rates.
Does a higher disability percentage always mean more weeks per percentage point?
Yes. The weeks-per-percent rate increases in brackets as the rating rises — from 3 weeks per percentage point at the low end up to 16 weeks per percentage point above about 70% — so the payout schedule is not a straight-line multiplication.
Why is my real PD rating different from my doctor's raw impairment number?
A doctor's whole-person impairment rating (from the AMA Guides) gets adjusted by an occupational variant factor (based on your specific job) and an age adjustment factor before becoming your final, legal permanent disability percentage — these adjustments can move the number substantially and are not something a simple calculator can replicate.
Is this a substitute for a real PD rating?
No. This estimator only applies the dollar-per-week payment schedule to a percentage you provide — it doesn't calculate that percentage from an actual medical impairment rating. Use it only to sanity-check a rating you already have, and consult a workers' compensation attorney for anything more.
This is not legal or medical advice. Permanent disability ratings and payouts are determined by a qualified medical evaluator and the workers' compensation system based on facts this calculator cannot assess. Consult a licensed workers' compensation attorney before relying on any figure here.