Estimate & general information only — not legal advice. Results are educational estimates based on the figures you enter and 2026 California rates. They do not account for every fact (medical reports, apportionment, disputes) and do not create an attorney-client relationship. For an accurate answer, speak with a licensed California workers' compensation attorney — we can connect you for free.
How much is a permanent disability rating worth in California?
When a work injury leaves lasting effects, you receive permanent disability (PD) benefits based on a rating from 1% to 100%. This estimator converts that rating into an estimated dollar payout using California's actual 2013+ formula and the Labor Code §4658(e) weeks schedule.
If you only have a Whole Person Impairment (WPI) number from the medical report, the rating process first multiplies it by the 1.4 FEC factor, then adjusts for your occupation and age. Those occupational and age tables come from the 2005 PDRS, so a website tool can only approximate them — the most accurate path is to enter a rating your doctor or attorney already calculated.
The payout itself is straightforward once you have the rating:
- PD weeks come from a cumulative schedule — 3 weeks per point at the low end, rising to 16 per point above 70%. (A 20% rating = 75.5 weeks; a 30% rating = 131 weeks.)
- PD weekly rate is two-thirds of your average weekly wage, capped at $290 and floored at $160 for ratings under 70% (2026).
- Payout = weeks × weekly rate.
Ratings of 70% or higher use a higher cap and add a lifetime life pension (LC 4659) — and a possible ±15% return-to-work adjustment can apply (LC 4658(d)). Those pieces, plus future medical care, make serious cases worth a professional review.