South Dakota Workers' Comp Settlement Calculator
Estimate the permanent partial disability (PPD) award for a work injury in South Dakota. 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 South Dakota's rules. The impairment rating is set by a doctor and often disputed. Talk to a South Dakota 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
$12,486 – $17,689
a negotiated lump sum is usually a discount on the gross value · estimate only
PPD Weekly Rate
$667
Weeks of Benefits
31.2 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 South Dakota Pays Permanent Partial Disability
South Dakota uses a scheduled-member system (weeks of benefits per body part) for permanent partial disability. PPD is paid at up to $1,108 per week, generally about 67% of your average weekly wage.
For permanent partial disability from injury to the BACK (and any body part not separately scheduled), SDCL § 62-4-7 pays that proportion of 312 WEEKS which the percentage of permanent partial disability bears to the body as a whole. So bodyAsWhole base = 312 weeks. Example: a 10% whole-body back impairment = 31.2 weeks x (66 2/3% earnings, capped at $1,108). Scheduled members prorate by the % medical impairment.
Source: SDCL §§ 62-4-3, 62-4-7 (scheduled / specific bodily injuries).
The South Dakota Scheduled-Member Basics
SDCL § 62-4-7 (formerly cited as 62-4-6 in older codifications — the current code renumbers the scheduled-injury section to 62-4-7; 62-4-6 is now the rehabilitation section): thumb 50, first/index finger 35, second finger 30, third finger 20, fourth/little finger 15, hand 150, arm 200, foot 125, leg 160, great toe 30, other toe 10, eye (sight) 150, hearing one ear 50, hearing both ears 150. Arm below elbow = loss of hand if artificial member usable; leg below knee = loss of foot likewise. First-phalange loss = 1/2 the digit. Back/unscheduled = proportion of 312 weeks (body as a whole). Source: official SD DLR Workers' Compensation Law guide + SD Legislature codified law.
South Dakota has a 7-day waiting period before wage-replacement benefits begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a South Dakota workers' comp settlement calculated?
South Dakota 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 $1,108 per week). Medical care and wage-replacement during recovery are separate, and most cases resolve by a negotiated settlement.
What is the South Dakota workers' comp weekly rate?
Permanent partial disability is paid at about 67% of your average weekly wage, capped at $1,108 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 South Dakota'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 South Dakota 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.