How Is Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Calculated?
Are you wondering how much you should receive from your workers’ comp claim in Pennsylvania? The answer depends on several factors, like your past wages and your ability to return to work. Insurance companies do not always explain these details clearly, but an attorney can review your situation and explain how much you could get in workers’ comp benefits.
How Weekly Wage Loss Benefits Are Calculated
If you’re too hurt to work after an occupational injury, Pennsylvania workers’ comp benefits can replace up to two-thirds of your average weekly wage. As of 2025, the maximum weekly benefit you can receive is $1,347. These payments are only available if a job-related injury keeps you from working or forces you to take a lower-paying job within your medical limits.
What Counts Toward Your Average Weekly Wage?
Insurers determine your maximum weekly benefits by starting with your average weekly wage. They calculate this average by adding up your regular pay, overtime, tips (if reported), and bonuses. If you worked more than one job, they count all wages from each job. For seasonal workers or those with variable hours, insurers usually take an average based on past earnings.
How Total Disability Benefits Are Calculated
You could receive total disability benefits if you cannot do any kind of work due to your injury. In that case, your weekly payments would equal about two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to the state maximum. After 104 weeks of payments, your employer can request a medical exam to make sure you are still unable to work. If that exam shows you are less than 35 percent impaired, your status could change to partial disability, and your benefits might decrease.
How Partial Disability Payments Work
If you go back to work but must accept a lower-paying job due to your injury, you could qualify for partial disability payments. These payments replace up to two-thirds of the difference between your old wage and your current one. You can receive partial disability benefits for up to 500 weeks. If your condition worsens and a doctor finds that you are 35 percent impaired or more, you could be entitled to total disability benefits again.
When Wage Loss Payments Begin and End
You can’t get wage-loss payments right away after a work injury. You must miss at least seven days of work before you are eligible. If you miss 14 days or more, however, you can get back pay for those first seven days of missed work. Payments can stop if you return to work, sign a settlement agreement, or reach the 500-week limit for partial disability benefits.
What Other Payments Are Available?
Besides wage loss benefits, workers’ comp can also cover specific losses related to your work injury. These include things like the loss of limbs, vision, or hearing. You could also receive specific loss benefits for things like serious scarring on your head, face, or neck. If your injury results in death, your dependents could receive survivor benefits. Workers’ comp also covers all necessary medical care related to your injury, including doctor visits, surgeries, prescriptions, and medical equipment.
Contact a Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Do you need help with a workers’ comp claim or payment issue in Pennsylvania? Contact Stine & Associates, P.C., today. We offer a free initial consultation so you can get answers without any pressure. We’ll listen to your situation, explain your options, and help you decide what to do next.