Arizona Workers' Comp Benefits (2026)
How Arizona pays injured workers: the weekly rate while you recover, the 2026 maximum, and what each type of permanent injury is worth, with the statute behind each number.
What is different in Arizona
Arizona's schedule is in months, not weeks, and pays more for the dominant ('major') arm and hand than the minor one. Scheduled awards rise from 50% to 75% of average monthly wage if the worker cannot return to the job held at the time of injury.
Weekly benefits while you cannot work
| Weekly rate | 66.67% of average monthly wage (AMW) |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $943.23 (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | No statutory minimum found |
| Waiting period | 7 days |
| Waiting days paid back after | 14 days of disability |
| Time limit on temporary benefits | No fixed week limit in statute |
Estimate your weekly check
Assumes temporary total disability and no post-injury work earnings. It does not calculate partial disability, retroactive payments, offsets or special low-wage rules. Confirm the injury date and the insurer's wage calculation.
Arizona caps the average monthly wage ($6,131 for 2026); the weekly maximum shown is the equivalent weekly amount.
What each injury is worth
| Injury | How it is paid | Max award |
|---|---|---|
| Back | wage loss | — |
| Neck | wage loss | — |
| Shoulder | depends on how it is rated | — |
| Knee | 50 months (as the leg) | $168,603 |
| Arm | 60 months | $202,323 |
| Hand | 50 months | $168,603 |
| Thumb | 15 months | $50,581 |
| Index Finger | 9 months | $30,348 |
| Leg | 50 months | $168,603 |
| Foot | 40 months | $134,882 |
| Big Toe | 7 months | $23,604 |
| Eye | 30 months | $101,162 |
| Hearing Loss | 60 months | $202,323 |
Permanent injuries in general
55% of the difference between pre-injury average monthly wage and reduced monthly earning capacity, paid monthly.
Shoulder: confirm the applicable category first
Arizona's schedule has no shoulder entry; it lists only the arm (60 months for the major arm, 50 for the minor). The statute does not say whether a shoulder injury is paid on the arm schedule or as an unscheduled injury based on lost earning capacity.
Shoulder injuries: identify the rating basis
For a rotator-cuff tear, fracture or other shoulder condition, request the final report on range of motion, strength and work restrictions. Check whether the state treats this claim as an arm loss, a whole-person impairment or another category. A shoulder percentage and an arm percentage are not automatically interchangeable.
The information available here does not by itself establish whether the claim uses an arm rating, a whole-person rating or lost-earnings benefits. Ask the agency or rating issuer to identify the category and the rule or guide used before valuing an offer. Do not enter a shoulder percentage into another rating unit without that confirmation.
Law and official sources
Official sources
Statute: A.R.S. §§23-1041, 23-1044, 23-1045, 23-1062; A.R.S. §23-1044(B), (C)
- Industrial Commission of Arizona (official site)
- azica.gov/claims-amw-statutory-maximum-information-page
- azleg.gov/ars/23/01044.htm
- azleg.gov/ars/23/01062.htm
- secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0452150045
Figures checked September 30, 2026. Maximums change every year; confirm current figures with the Arizona workers' compensation agency.
Estimate only. Your real award depends on your doctor's rating, your wage records, offsets and settlement terms. This page is general information, not legal advice.