Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at 844SeeMike Personal Injury Lawyers.
Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor (2004).
8000+
Cases Settled
Putting Money Back in Your Pocket
$415,000
Workers' Compensation
$267,384
Workers' Compensation
$190,158
Workers' Compensation
Applying for workplace benefits can be a difficult process. Workers’ comp applications require a lot of information and can easily be denied. Even if your application wasn’t accepted, you could still undergo the appeal process. On average, 67% of initial denials get paid within 12 months. If you haven’t been properly compensated yet, it is time to speak to an attorney who can get you the benefits you deserve. Workers’ compensation lawyers help protect your right to receive coverage for medical benefits, lost wages, and other workplace injury benefits.
Our Elmhurst workers’ compensation lawyers will review your case and make sure your claim is error-free. If you were already denied or received less than you believe is reasonable, our legal services can support you through the appeal process. We understand workers’ compensation laws in-depth and have proven experience representing injured workers. To learn more about the process, speak to an Elmhurst workers’ compensation attorney today. Call 844 See Mike for a free consultation today.
This is the percentage of function you lost, usually set by doctors’ impairment ratings and negotiation. Most contested cases settle between ratings. Not sure? Leave it at a middle value and talk to us.
Gross pay, before taxes. Don’t know it? Divide your annual pay by 52.
Illinois caps carpal tunnel from repetitive trauma at 15% loss of use of the hand in most cases, and 30% with clear and convincing evidence.
Estimated PPD Benefit
Enter your weekly wage to see your number
for the
× loss of use
× per week
Your rate is capped at the Illinois maximum PPD rate of $1,084.66.
Is your case worth more?
An attorney will review your numbers, , and tell you honestly whether your case should be worth more. Free and confidential.
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PPD is one part of an Illinois work injury claim. Medical bills, temporary disability checks, wage differential, and disfigurement can add substantially more. Rates shown apply to injuries from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
How Illinois Calculates a Workers’ Comp Settlement
Unlike a car accident case, an Illinois permanent partial disability award is not a negotiation from scratch. Section 8(e) of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act assigns every body part a fixed number of weeks. Three numbers decide the baseline value of your injury:
1
Scheduled weeks
Each body part is worth a set number of weeks under the law. A hand is 205 weeks. An arm is 253. A leg is 215. Injuries to the back, neck, or body as a whole use 500 weeks.
2
Loss-of-use percentage
Doctors rate how much function you permanently lost. A 10% loss of a hand means 10% of 205 weeks, or 20.5 weeks of benefits. This rating is where most cases are won or lost.
3
Your PPD rate
You receive 60% of your average weekly wage for each week, capped at the state maximum of $1,084.66 for injuries from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
Example: A warehouse worker earning $1,000 per week suffers a hand injury with a 10% loss-of-use rating. The math: 205 weeks × 10% = 20.5 weeks. The rate: 60% of $1,000 = $600. The PPD award: 20.5 × $600 = $12,300, on top of paid medical bills and temporary disability checks.
Current Illinois Workers’ Comp Rates (2025-2026)
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission updates benefit-rate maximums twice a year based on the statewide average weekly wage. These are the current figures this calculator uses:
Rate
Amount
Applies to
PPD rate formula
60% of your average weekly wage
Permanent partial disability awards
Maximum PPD rate
$1,084.66 per week
Injuries July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026
TTD rate formula
66 2/3% of your average weekly wage
Paid while you cannot work at all
Maximum TTD rate
$2,008.60 per week
Injuries January 15, 2026 to July 14, 2026
Statewide average weekly wage
$1,506.49
The basis for the caps above
Source: Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission benefit-rate tables. If your injury date falls outside these windows, different maximums apply to your claim.
Illinois Body Part Injury Values (2025-2026)
Maximum values below assume a 100% loss at the current maximum PPD rate of $1,084.66 per week. Most injuries involve partial loss, so real awards are a percentage of these figures.
Body part
Scheduled weeks
Maximum value
Back, neck, or body as a whole
500
$542,330
Shoulder (body as a whole)
500
$542,330
Hip (body as a whole)
500
$542,330
Arm
253
$274,419
Leg
215
$233,202
Hearing, both ears
215
$233,202
Hand
205
$222,355
Foot
167
$181,138
Eye (loss of sight)
162
$175,715
Thumb
76
$82,434
Hearing, one ear
54
$58,572
Index finger
43
$46,640
Middle finger
38
$41,217
Great toe
38
$41,217
Ring finger
27
$29,286
Little finger
22
$23,863
Any other toe
13
$14,101
Source: 820 ILCS 305/8(e) schedule for injuries on or after February 1, 2006; amputations above the elbow or knee add weeks. Illinois courts treat shoulder and hip injuries as body-as-a-whole claims.
The PPD formula is the floor, not the ceiling. A full Illinois workers’ compensation claim can also include:
All medical treatment, paid by the employer’s insurance with no deductible
Temporary total disability (TTD): 66 2/3% of your wage for every week you cannot work
Wage differential: if you must take a lower-paying job, 66 2/3% of the difference, payable to age 67 or for 5 years, whichever is later
Disfigurement: up to 162 weeks for serious and permanent scarring
Penalties when an insurer unreasonably delays or denies payment
Insurance companies know most injured workers never run this math. That is exactly why they make early lowball offers before your rating is established. Learn more about your rights from our Illinois workers’ compensation lawyers.
Illinois Workers’ Comp Settlement FAQs
Get a Free Review of Your Number
Your loss-of-use rating is negotiable, and it is the single biggest lever in your settlement. An attorney will tell you, honestly and for free, whether your case is worth more than the calculator shows.
This calculator provides an estimate of permanent partial disability benefits under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act based on the figures you enter. It is not legal advice and not a guarantee of any result. Actual benefits depend on your documented wages, medical evidence, disputed ratings, and IWCC approval. Rates shown apply to injuries occurring July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 and are updated by the IWCC. Attorney Advertising.
Types Of Benefits You Can Receive
After you experience a workplace injury, you are entitled to benefits under Elmhurst’s workers compensation laws. You are eligible to receive benefits if you are a part-time or full-time worker. This doesn’t apply to one or two-person-owned companies, sole proprietors, or a partnership with no employees. According to workers’ compensation law, employees that are leased, borrowed, unpaid volunteers, or independent contractors also can’t apply. Here are workers’ compensation benefits that you can receive:
Medical Expenses
When you are injured because of a workplace injury, all of your medical bills related to the injury can be covered. This also applies to any occupational illness you caught because of your line of work.
Lost Wages
When you are unable to work, you can recover wages even while you are at home recovering. When you return to work, if you are still disabled and receive less than your original income, you can continue to receive workers’ compensation benefits. If you are able to perform light work while you are injured, you can also receive a percentage of your previous wages in addition to your new income level.
Funeral Costs
Surviving family members of an employee that died because of their workplace injury can be reimbursed for funeral bills. The burial and funeral costs can be covered up to the maximum limit of $10,500.
Ongoing Medical Treatment
Workers’ compensation benefits also cover the ongoing cost of medical treatment. You may be required to undergo additional healthcare treatments and physical therapy to help you recover. However, because your injury was caused by your job, you don’t have to pay all of these costs.
Repetitive Stress Injuries
Injuries can occur because of the nature of your work. For example, you may experience carpal tunnel from frequent typing at your desk. Repetitive stress injuries can also be covered under workers’ compensation.
Death Benefits
If you are the spouse or dependent of someoneone that died due to a fatal workplace injury, you are entitled to benefits under Illinois’ workers’ compensation law.
Disability Benefits
You may have a permanent injury that prevents you from working in your previous job role. In other cases, you may have a reduced ability to work and can only perform light tasks or fulfill a part-time role. In this case, you can continue to receive disability benefits for an extended period or even a lifetime, depending on the type of injury you have.
Steps To Take After You’ve Been Injured At Your Job
After you’ve been injured, you may be confused by the workers’ compensation process and what you need to get approved by your employer’s insurer. Workers’ compensation attorneys can guide you through the step-by-step process of filing your workers’ compensation claim. Here are the necessary steps you should take:
Step 1: Get medical attention as soon as possible.
Step 2: Let your employer know you were injured promptly.
Step 3: Take photographs of your injury and where you were harmed.
Step 4: Contact an Elmhurst workers’ compensation lawyer to discuss your workplace accident.
Step 5: Review your employer’s insurer’s settlement reward response or denial.
Step 6: Undergo the appeal process with the state board.
Step 7: Attend the pre-mediation hearing. If there is no resolution, a hearing will be scheduled.
Step 8: Your workers’ compensation lawyer will represent you at the hearing before the judge.
Step 9: Receive your reward or have your attorney file a second appeal.
Get Help From An Elmhurst Workers’ Compensation Attorney
Before you make any errors on your workers’ compensation application, let an attorney review your case first. They understand workers’ comp law and can provide dependable results in Elmhurst, IL so that you receive fair compensation. Your attorney can determine how much you should receive in compensation. Let our law firm assist you. Call 844 See Mike now for a free consultation.
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