North Carolina Workers' Comp Settlement Calculator
Estimate the permanent partial disability (PPD) award for a work injury in North Carolina. Enter your wage, the body part, and the impairment rating to see a rough range. This is an estimate, not a prediction or an offer.
A rough estimate, not a prediction or an offer.
Workers' comp has no pain and suffering. This estimates the permanent partial disability award and a typical negotiated settlement range using North Carolina's rules. The impairment rating is set by a doctor and often disputed. Talk to a North Carolina workers' comp attorney.
Add future medical & time off work (for a fuller settlement estimate)
A lump-sum settlement often buys out future medical; time off work is paid separately as temporary disability.
Typical Settlement Range
$12,006 – $17,009
a negotiated lump sum is usually a discount on the gross value · estimate only
PPD Weekly Rate
$667
Weeks of Benefits
30.0 wks
A workers’ comp case usually resolves as a negotiated lump-sum settlement that bundles the disability award with future medical care, then discounts it — so the settlement range here is illustrative, not a quote. Impairment ratings are doctor-assigned and often disputed.
A workers' comp claim usually settles as a negotiated lump sum that bundles the permanent disability award with future medical care, then discounts it for present value and disputed issues — which is why the settlement range is below the gross value. The disability award is built from a statutory schedule (weeks × impairment rating × a weekly rate). The rating itself, average-weekly-wage disputes, and offsets all change the real number. This is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
How North Carolina Pays Permanent Partial Disability
North Carolina uses a scheduled-member system (weeks of benefits per body part) for permanent partial disability. PPD is paid at up to $1,446 per week, generally about 67% of your average weekly wage.
The BACK is scheduled in NC: total loss of use of the back = 300 weeks (G.S. 97-31(23)). Partial back impairment = impairment% x 300 weeks x weekly rate. Other unscheduled body parts (whole-body/organs) without a specific schedule entry can be compensated for 'important organ' loss up to 200 weeks (G.S. 97-31(24)) or via wage-loss disability under G.S. 97-30. NC lets a worker elect the more favorable of scheduled (97-31) vs ongoing wage-loss (97-29/97-30) benefits.
Source: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 97-31 (schedule); § 97-29 (max/min).
The North Carolina Scheduled-Member Basics
G.S. 97-31. Back = 300 weeks. Other toes = 10 weeks each. 'Important external or internal organ' not otherwise scheduled = up to 200 weeks. Loss of two major members (hands/arms/legs/feet/eyes) = permanent total. Election-of-remedy: scheduled award OR continuing disability, whichever is greater.
North Carolina has a 7-day waiting period before wage-replacement benefits begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a North Carolina workers' comp settlement calculated?
North Carolina uses a scheduled-member system (weeks of benefits per body part). For a permanent partial disability, the award is generally the scheduled weeks for the injured body part times your impairment percentage times a weekly rate (up to $1,446 per week). Medical care and wage-replacement during recovery are separate, and most cases resolve by a negotiated settlement.
What is the North Carolina workers' comp weekly rate?
Permanent partial disability is paid at about 67% of your average weekly wage, capped at $1,446 per week (2026). The temporary-disability rate may differ.
Does workers' comp pay for pain and suffering?
No. Workers' compensation does not pay pain and suffering. It pays medical care, a portion of lost wages, and a permanent disability award based on your impairment rating. That trade-off is the core of the workers' comp system.
Is this calculator accurate?
It is a rough estimate of the permanent partial disability award to show how North Carolina's schedule works. The impairment rating, average-weekly-wage disputes, and offsets all change the real number, and most claims settle for a negotiated lump sum. Treat any figure here as a ballpark and consult a North Carolina workers' comp attorney.
Disclaimer
This estimator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a prediction of any outcome. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. It estimates the permanent partial disability award only, not the full claim (medical care and wage-replacement are separate), and workers' comp rates and schedules change; figures are current as of 2026-06-02. The value of a claim can only be assessed by a licensed attorney reviewing your specific facts.