510-257-4141
By Steve Franco
Updated August 24, 2026
If you searched for a California workers comp settlement chart 2026, you are probably trying to answer a very practical question: How much is my workers’ compensation case worth? A permanent disability chart can be an important starting point, but it does not tell you the complete settlement value of a California workers’ compensation claim.
The chart below shows the scheduled value of permanent partial disability at the maximum $290 weekly rate. A real settlement can be higher or lower because it may involve future medical care, disputed disability, temporary disability, apportionment, life pension rights, multiple body parts, medical-legal issues, and other disputed benefits.
2026 California Workers’ Compensation Rates at a Glance
California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation reports that the 2026 State Average Weekly Wage (SAWW) is $1,789, a 4.98826% increase from the prior year. That increase raised the 2026 minimum TTD rate to $264.61 and the maximum TTD rate to $1,764.11. It also affects qualifying permanent total disability and life pension payments. The maximum weekly PPD rate, however, remains $290 for injuries on or after January 1, 2014.
View the California DWC workers’ compensation benefits chart.
Permanent Disability Is Not the Same as a Workers’ Comp Settlement
This is the most important concept on this page. A permanent disability rating determines a statutory stream of indemnity benefits. It does not automatically equal the amount of a Compromise and Release settlement.
For example, two injured workers could each have a 30% permanent disability rating but still have very different settlement values. One worker may need little future treatment. Another may need surgery, injections, medication, specialist follow-up, or other expensive care. One case may involve accepted body parts, while another may involve disputed injuries or unpaid temporary disability.
California recognizes two common settlement structures: Stipulations with Request for Award and a Compromise and Release (C&R). A stipulated award generally preserves future medical care, while a C&R usually resolves the claim for a lump sum and can shift responsibility for future medical treatment to the injured worker. You can read our detailed guide on the two ways to settle a California workers’ compensation case.
What Is Permanent Disability in California Workers’ Compensation?
Permanent disability, often called PD, is lasting disability caused by a work injury or occupational illness. A worker can have permanent disability even if the worker returns to work. PD is designed to compensate for the lasting effects of an industrial injury, but California’s system does not guarantee that PD payments will replace every dollar of future wage loss.
Usually, the medical process begins when a treating physician, Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME), or Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME) determines that the injured worker has reached maximum medical improvement or has become permanent and stationary. The doctor then evaluates permanent impairment and work restrictions. If you want a deeper explanation of this process, see our article on how a QME can affect permanent disability and settlement value.
How California Calculates a Permanent Disability Rating
For dates of injury on or after January 1, 2013, the basic rating process generally looks like this:
- Whole Person Impairment (WPI): A physician assigns impairment using the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, Fifth Edition.
- 1.4 adjustment: The WPI is adjusted by the statutory 1.4 factor used for post-2012 injuries.
- Occupation: The rating is adjusted based on the physical demands and occupational classification of the worker’s job.
- Age: The rating is then adjusted based on age at the time of injury.
- Apportionment: If legally valid apportionment applies, the employer may be liable only for the portion of permanent disability caused by the industrial injury.
That is why two people with the same MRI findings or even the same WPI can end up with different final PD ratings. California DWC explains that the post-2013 rating process applies the 1.4 WPI modifier and then adjusts for occupation and age.
Read California DWC’s official permanent disability explanation.
2026 California Permanent Disability Weeks Schedule
For injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2013, Labor Code section 4658(e) uses a cumulative schedule. As the PD percentage becomes more serious, each additional percentage point is worth more weeks of benefits.
| PD Range | Weeks Per 1% in That Range |
|---|---|
| 0.25%ā9.75% | 3 weeks |
| 10%ā14.75% | 4 weeks |
| 15%ā24.75% | 5 weeks |
| 25%ā29.75% | 6 weeks |
| 30%ā49.75% | 7 weeks |
| 50%ā69.75% | 8 weeks |
| 70%ā99.75% | 16 weeks |
Read California Labor Code section 4658.
Complete 2026 California Workers’ Comp Permanent Disability Chart: 1% to 99%
The table below assumes a date of injury on or after January 1, 2014 and sufficient earnings to receive the maximum PPD rate of $290 per week. The amounts shown are the scheduled maximum PPD indemnity only. They do not include future medical care, life pension value, temporary disability disputes, penalties, or other settlement components.
| PD | Weeks | Max PPD at $290 | PD | Weeks | Max PPD at $290 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 3.00 | $870 | 51% | 279.25 | $80,982.50 |
| 2% | 6.00 | $1,740 | 52% | 287.25 | $83,302.50 |
| 3% | 9.00 | $2,610 | 53% | 295.25 | $85,622.50 |
| 4% | 12.00 | $3,480 | 54% | 303.25 | $87,942.50 |
| 5% | 15.00 | $4,350 | 55% | 311.25 | $90,262.50 |
| 6% | 18.00 | $5,220 | 56% | 319.25 | $92,582.50 |
| 7% | 21.00 | $6,090 | 57% | 327.25 | $94,902.50 |
| 8% | 24.00 | $6,960 | 58% | 335.25 | $97,222.50 |
| 9% | 27.00 | $7,830 | 59% | 343.25 | $99,542.50 |
| 10% | 30.25 | $8,772.50 | 60% | 351.25 | $101,862.50 |
| 11% | 34.25 | $9,932.50 | 61% | 359.25 | $104,182.50 |
| 12% | 38.25 | $11,092.50 | 62% | 367.25 | $106,502.50 |
| 13% | 42.25 | $12,252.50 | 63% | 375.25 | $108,822.50 |
| 14% | 46.25 | $13,412.50 | 64% | 383.25 | $111,142.50 |
| 15% | 50.50 | $14,645 | 65% | 391.25 | $113,462.50 |
| 16% | 55.50 | $16,095 | 66% | 399.25 | $115,782.50 |
| 17% | 60.50 | $17,545 | 67% | 407.25 | $118,102.50 |
| 18% | 65.50 | $18,995 | 68% | 415.25 | $120,422.50 |
| 19% | 70.50 | $20,445 | 69% | 423.25 | $122,742.50 |
| 20% | 75.50 | $21,895 | 70% | 433.25 | $125,642.50 + LP |
| 21% | 80.50 | $23,345 | 71% | 449.25 | $130,282.50 + LP |
| 22% | 85.50 | $24,795 | 72% | 465.25 | $134,922.50 + LP |
| 23% | 90.50 | $26,245 | 73% | 481.25 | $139,562.50 + LP |
| 24% | 95.50 | $27,695 | 74% | 497.25 | $144,202.50 + LP |
| 25% | 100.75 | $29,217.50 | 75% | 513.25 | $148,842.50 + LP |
| 26% | 106.75 | $30,957.50 | 76% | 529.25 | $153,482.50 + LP |
| 27% | 112.75 | $32,697.50 | 77% | 545.25 | $158,122.50 + LP |
| 28% | 118.75 | $34,437.50 | 78% | 561.25 | $162,762.50 + LP |
| 29% | 124.75 | $36,177.50 | 79% | 577.25 | $167,402.50 + LP |
| 30% | 131.00 | $37,990 | 80% | 593.25 | $172,042.50 + LP |
| 31% | 138.00 | $40,020 | 81% | 609.25 | $176,682.50 + LP |
| 32% | 145.00 | $42,050 | 82% | 625.25 | $181,322.50 + LP |
| 33% | 152.00 | $44,080 | 83% | 641.25 | $185,962.50 + LP |
| 34% | 159.00 | $46,110 | 84% | 657.25 | $190,602.50 + LP |
| 35% | 166.00 | $48,140 | 85% | 673.25 | $195,242.50 + LP |
| 36% | 173.00 | $50,170 | 86% | 689.25 | $199,882.50 + LP |
| 37% | 180.00 | $52,200 | 87% | 705.25 | $204,522.50 + LP |
| 38% | 187.00 | $54,230 | 88% | 721.25 | $209,162.50 + LP |
| 39% | 194.00 | $56,260 | 89% | 737.25 | $213,802.50 + LP |
| 40% | 201.00 | $58,290 | 90% | 753.25 | $218,442.50 + LP |
| 41% | 208.00 | $60,320 | 91% | 769.25 | $223,082.50 + LP |
| 42% | 215.00 | $62,350 | 92% | 785.25 | $227,722.50 + LP |
| 43% | 222.00 | $64,380 | 93% | 801.25 | $232,362.50 + LP |
| 44% | 229.00 | $66,410 | 94% | 817.25 | $237,002.50 + LP |
| 45% | 236.00 | $68,440 | 95% | 833.25 | $241,642.50 + LP |
| 46% | 243.00 | $70,470 | 96% | 849.25 | $246,282.50 + LP |
| 47% | 250.00 | $72,500 | 97% | 865.25 | $250,922.50 + LP |
| 48% | 257.00 | $74,530 | 98% | 881.25 | $255,562.50 + LP |
| 49% | 264.00 | $76,560 | 99% | 897.25 | $260,202.50 + LP |
| 50% | 271.25 | $78,662.50 |
LP means the rating can also qualify for a life pension after scheduled PPD is exhausted. Values are rounded to the cent. This chart is calculated from the cumulative post-2013 schedule in Labor Code section 4658(e).
Examples: What Common PD Ratings Are Worth at the $290 Maximum Rate
| PD Rating | Scheduled Weeks | Maximum Scheduled PPD | Additional Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 30.25 | $8,772.50 | No life pension |
| 25% | 100.75 | $29,217.50 | Future medical may materially affect C&R value |
| 50% | 271.25 | $78,662.50 | No life pension at 50% |
| 70% | 433.25 | $125,642.50 | Life pension applies |
| 80% | 593.25 | $172,042.50 | Life pension applies |
| 90% | 753.25 | $218,442.50 | Life pension applies |
| 99% | 897.25 | $260,202.50 | Life pension applies |
What Happens at 70% Permanent Disability? California Life Pension Benefits
California creates an important dividing line at 70% permanent disability. If the final PD rating is at least 70% but less than 100%, Labor Code section 4659 provides a life pension after the scheduled PPD payments are exhausted.
The statutory base formula is:
For injuries on or after January 1, 2006, the average weekly earnings used for the base life-pension calculation are capped by statute at $515.38. The pension begins only after the scheduled PPD period ends. For qualifying injuries on or after January 1, 2003, SAWW adjustments apply after the worker becomes entitled to receive the life pension.
| PD Rating | Base Weekly LP at $515.38 AWW Cap | When It Starts |
|---|---|---|
| 70% | $77.31/week | Begins after scheduled PPD is exhausted; future SAWW adjustments apply after entitlement begins. |
| 75% | $115.96/week | Begins after scheduled PPD is exhausted; future SAWW adjustments apply after entitlement begins. |
| 80% | $154.61/week | Begins after scheduled PPD is exhausted; future SAWW adjustments apply after entitlement begins. |
| 85% | $193.27/week | Begins after scheduled PPD is exhausted; future SAWW adjustments apply after entitlement begins. |
| 90% | $231.92/week | Begins after scheduled PPD is exhausted; future SAWW adjustments apply after entitlement begins. |
| 95% | $270.57/week | Begins after scheduled PPD is exhausted; future SAWW adjustments apply after entitlement begins. |
| 99% | $301.50/week | Begins after scheduled PPD is exhausted; future SAWW adjustments apply after entitlement begins. |
This is one reason a 70% case can be worth substantially more than simply looking at the scheduled PPD line. A life pension can continue for the worker’s lifetime. The present value of that future stream can become a major settlement issue.
What Happens at 100% Permanent Disability?
A 100% permanent disability rating is fundamentally different from a 99% rating. Permanent total disability (PTD) is paid for life at the applicable total disability rate rather than for a fixed number of PPD weeks.
For a 2026 injury, the DWC lists a minimum TTD rate of $264.61 and a maximum of $1,764.11 per week. Permanent total disability is paid for life based on the total disability rate, subject to the worker’s earnings and the applicable law. Qualifying PTD payments for injuries on or after January 1, 2003 are also subject to annual SAWW increases after entitlement.
Very serious cases can sometimes reach 100% through the rating schedule, statutory presumptions, or proof that the worker is permanently unable to compete in the open labor market under applicable California law. For a deeper discussion, read our guide to proving 100% permanent disability in California workers’ compensation.
Why a 99% Rating and a 100% Rating Are So Different
At 99%, the worker receives the scheduled PPD indemnity and then a life pension. At 100%, the worker receives permanent total disability for life. That difference can be enormous over a worker’s expected lifetime.
This is why a high-rating case should not be evaluated by looking at one number in a chart. Medical reporting, work restrictions, vocational evidence, apportionment, and the legal theory supporting total disability can change the outcome significantly.
How Apportionment Can Reduce Permanent Disability
California Labor Code section 4663 requires apportionment of permanent disability to be based on causation. A physician addressing permanent disability generally must identify what approximate percentage of the permanent disability was caused by the industrial injury and what approximate percentage was caused by other factors.
For example, assume a worker’s overall disability would rate at 40%, but a medical evaluator attributes 25% of the permanent disability to a legally valid nonindustrial cause. The industrial portion may be reduced accordingly. Whether an apportionment opinion is legally valid can be a major issue, particularly when the medical explanation is conclusory or fails to explain how the nonindustrial factor actually caused permanent disability.
Apportionment is one reason you should not estimate case value from the chart until the medical record is complete.
What If You Have Multiple Injuries or Multiple Body Parts?
California does not always simply add impairment percentages together. Multiple impairments are commonly combined using the Combined Values Chart. But there can be important disputes about whether separate impairments should be combined or, in appropriate circumstances, added based on substantial medical evidence regarding their functional effects.
That issue can materially affect a final PD rating. For more detail, see our discussion of accurate impairment evaluation and combining versus adding impairments.
How Future Medical Care Can Increase a C&R Settlement
The PPD chart does not price future medical care. In a Compromise and Release, the parties may negotiate money to resolve future medical exposure. The value of that component depends on the medical evidence and the risks of future treatment.
Potential future care can include physician visits, physical therapy, medications, diagnostic testing, injections, durable medical equipment, surgery, post-operative rehabilitation, and other care that is reasonably related to the industrial injury. A case involving credible future surgery can therefore have a substantially different C&R value from a case with the exact same PD rating but minimal future care.
Other Benefits That May Matter to the Overall Case Value
- Temporary disability: Unpaid or disputed periods of TTD can affect negotiations.
- Future medical care: Often a major component of a C&R.
- Life pension: Applies to ratings of 70% through 99% after scheduled PPD is exhausted.
- Permanent total disability: A 100% award is paid for life.
- SJDB voucher: For qualifying post-2012 injuries, the voucher is up to $6,000.
- Return-to-Work Supplement: An eligible worker who receives an SJDB voucher may separately qualify for a one-time $5,000 state payment.
- Disputed issues: A settlement can reflect litigation risk concerning injury, body parts, apportionment, earnings, medical evidence, and other issues.
Does the 2026 SAWW Increase Raise Permanent Partial Disability Payments?
Not the ordinary PPD weekly maximum. The 2026 SAWW increase raised the minimum and maximum total disability rates and affects qualifying life pension and permanent total disability payments. The DWC’s 2026 chart continues to list the PPD weekly range at $160 to $290.
This distinction matters because a page that simply says āworkers’ comp rates increased in 2026ā can be misleading. The $290 maximum PPD rate did not become $304.47 just because the SAWW increased by about 4.99%.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 California Workers’ Comp Settlement Chart
How much is 10% permanent disability worth in California?
At the $290 maximum weekly PPD rate, 10% PD equals 30.25 weeks, or $8,772.50 in scheduled PPD indemnity.
How much is 20% permanent disability worth?
At the $290 maximum rate, 20% PD equals 75.50 weeks, or $21,895 in scheduled PPD indemnity.
How much is 25% permanent disability worth?
At the maximum rate, 25% PD equals 100.75 weeks, or $29,217.50.
How much is 50% permanent disability worth?
For a post-2013 injury, 50% PD equals 271.25 weeks. At $290 per week, the maximum scheduled PPD indemnity is $78,662.50.
How much is 70% permanent disability worth?
At the maximum PPD rate, 70% equals 433.25 weeks, or $125,642.50 in scheduled PPD indemnity. A 70% rating also qualifies for a life pension after those PPD payments are exhausted.
How much is 80% permanent disability worth?
At the maximum PPD rate, 80% equals 593.25 weeks, or $172,042.50, plus the right to a life pension after scheduled PPD ends.
How much is 90% permanent disability worth?
At the maximum PPD rate, 90% equals 753.25 weeks, or $218,442.50, plus a life pension after scheduled PPD is exhausted.
Is a workers’ comp settlement the same as the PD amount in the chart?
No. The chart is the statutory PPD indemnity amount. A settlement may also account for future medical care and disputed benefits and may reflect litigation risk on both sides.
Does age affect a California permanent disability rating?
Yes. For post-2012 injuries, the rating process adjusts impairment for occupation and age after applying the 1.4 modifier.
Can my occupation affect my PD rating?
Yes. The same medical impairment can rate differently depending on the occupational adjustment assigned under the Permanent Disability Rating Schedule.
Can a prior injury reduce my workers’ comp permanent disability?
Potentially. California requires apportionment based on causation. The medical opinion must address what portion of permanent disability is caused by the industrial injury and what portion is caused by other legally relevant factors.
What is the maximum permanent disability weekly rate in 2026?
For ordinary permanent partial disability involving injuries on or after January 1, 2014, the DWC lists a maximum of $290 per week.
What is the maximum total disability rate for a 2026 injury?
The 2026 maximum TTD rate is $1,764.11 per week. The minimum is $264.61. Permanent total disability is paid for life at the applicable total disability rate.
Should I accept a settlement based only on this chart?
No. A chart cannot evaluate your future medical exposure, whether the rating is accurate, whether apportionment is valid, whether additional body parts should be included, whether unpaid benefits are owed, or whether the case may support a higher rating.
Have Questions About Your California Workers’ Comp Settlement?
A permanent disability percentage is only one part of valuing a workers’ compensation case. If you have a QME report, permanent disability rating, settlement offer, or questions about future medical care, Franco MuƱoz can review the issues with you.
Call (510) 257-4141 for a free consultation. You can also learn more about our California workers’ compensation practice.
Related Franco MuƱoz Resources
- How to Prove 100% Permanent Disability in California
- How a QME Affects Your Workers’ Compensation Case
- Two Ways to Settle Your Workers’ Compensation Case
- Why Accurate Impairment Evaluation Matters
About the Author
Steve Franco is a California workers’ compensation attorney with Franco MuƱoz Law Firm. His practice focuses on representing injured workers in disputes involving medical treatment, permanent disability, QME and AME evaluations, trials, and settlements. He regularly publishes educational content to help California workers understand the workers’ compensation system.
