Kentucky Workers' Comp Benefits (2026)
How Kentucky 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 Kentucky
Benefits triple if the worker cannot return to the same type of work, and double for any period a worker who returned at the same or higher wage later stops earning it. Income benefits end at age 70 or 4 years after the injury, whichever is later.
Weekly benefits while you cannot work
| Weekly rate | 66.67% of AWW (highest 13-week period of the last 52 weeks) |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $1,277.99 (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $232.36 (2026; 20% of SAWW) |
| 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.
How each injury is assessed
| Injury | How it is paid | Fixed permanent figure |
|---|---|---|
| Back | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Neck | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Shoulder | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Knee | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Arm | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Hand | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Thumb | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Index Finger | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Leg | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Foot | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Big Toe | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Eye | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Hearing Loss | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
Permanent injuries in general
66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Injury rules and records in one guide
The injury determines which medical findings you need; the payment formula follows state rules. Use the sections below to identify the correct category before comparing an offer. Do not convert or combine body-part ratings yourself.
Arm injury
Kentucky has no body-part schedule. An injury to the arm is rated as an impairment and paid under the state's general formula: 66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Arm injuries: distinguish arm, hand and whole-person ratings
Ask which anatomical level and rating unit the doctor used. Records of elbow motion, grip, nerve function and lifting restrictions may describe different aspects of the injury. Confirm whether the award uses the arm schedule or a whole-person formula before entering a percentage; do not add overlapping ratings yourself.
Back injury
No schedule; the back is paid by the same whole-person impairment × grid-factor formula as every injury.
Back injuries: information needed to value the claim
Separate the diagnosis (for example, a strain, disc injury or surgery) from the permanent rating. Ask for the medical report identifying the spinal region, any nerve involvement, lasting work restrictions and whether maximum medical improvement has been reached. A diagnosis or surgery alone is not a dollar amount.
Big Toe injury
Kentucky has no body-part schedule. An injury to the big toe is rated as an impairment and paid under the state's general formula: 66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Big-toe injuries: use the correct toe category
Confirm that the report concerns the great toe and identifies any amputation level or partial loss of use. The rule for other toes may differ. Keep findings about balance, push-off when walking and footwear restrictions, and verify the rating unit before using a percentage.
Eye injury
Kentucky has no body-part schedule. An injury to the eye is rated as an impairment and paid under the state's general formula: 66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Eye injuries: confirm one eye, both eyes and the vision measure
Obtain the ophthalmology report and ask how corrected vision and other lasting visual effects were measured for the rating. One-eye and two-eye losses are different scenarios. The figure on this page is not a valuation of every kind of vision problem or a combined award for both eyes.
Foot injury
Kentucky has no body-part schedule. An injury to the foot is rated as an impairment and paid under the state's general formula: 66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Foot injuries: distinguish the foot from toes and the leg
For a fracture, crush injury or lasting ankle symptoms, request the report specifying the rated member. Walking tolerance, footwear needs and weight-bearing restrictions help explain the functional effects. Do not assume a toe percentage is a foot percentage or that an ankle diagnosis automatically uses the foot schedule.
Hand injury
Kentucky has no body-part schedule. An injury to the hand is rated as an impairment and paid under the state's general formula: 66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Hand injuries: document function and the affected member
Identify whether the report rates the entire hand, individual digits or an upper extremity. Keep findings about grip, sensation and dexterity, plus restrictions on tools or repetitive tasks. An isolated finger award and a hand award may follow different rules; this page does not calculate combinations of injuries.
Hearing Loss injury
Kentucky has no body-part schedule. An injury to the hearing loss is rated as an impairment and paid under the state's general formula: 66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Hearing loss: check the audiogram and whether both ears are rated
Request the audiogram and the report explaining the hearing-loss percentage, which ear or ears it covers and how work-related exposure was assessed. Do not enter a one-ear rating into a two-ear formula. Tinnitus and hearing loss are not interchangeable inputs, and this calculator does not determine the medical rating.
Index Finger injury
Kentucky has no body-part schedule. An injury to the index finger is rated as an impairment and paid under the state's general formula: 66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Index-finger injuries: verify the digit and loss level
The index finger is not interchangeable with another digit. Ask whether the report describes stiffness, tendon or nerve damage, or an amputation at a specific level. Verify whether the percentage is expressed for the finger, hand or whole person before applying the formula shown here.
Knee injury
No schedule; paid by the whole-person impairment × grid-factor formula.
Knee injuries: confirm whether the rating is for the leg
For a meniscus tear, ligament injury or knee replacement, obtain the final rating report and any restrictions on standing, kneeling and walking. Confirm the body part to which the percentage applies. If the rule uses a leg schedule, the calculation needs the applicable leg loss-of-use rating, not a guessed percentage based on the procedure.
Leg injury
Kentucky has no body-part schedule. An injury to the leg is rated as an impairment and paid under the state's general formula: 66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Leg injuries: confirm the member and lasting restrictions
Ask whether the report covers the leg, a particular joint or the whole person. Keep findings about walking, balance, limb length and restrictions on standing or lifting. Multiple injuries to the same limb need the applicable combination rules; adding their percentages can overstate the award.
Neck injury
No schedule; paid by the whole-person impairment × grid-factor formula.
Neck injuries: check the cervical findings
Ask whether the rating report addresses the cervical spine alone or also documents arm symptoms and neurological findings. Keep the imaging report, treatment history and restrictions on lifting or turning your head. Do not enter an arm rating into a whole-person field without the applicable conversion.
Shoulder injury
No schedule; paid by the whole-person impairment × grid-factor formula.
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.
Thumb injury
Kentucky has no body-part schedule. An injury to the thumb is rated as an impairment and paid under the state's general formula: 66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Thumb injuries: check loss of use versus amputation
Request the report describing the thumb joint or amputation level, remaining motion and ability to pinch. Total loss and partial loss of use are different inputs. Check the thumb-specific rule below; a thumb rating should not be substituted for a hand or whole-person rating without the required conversion.
Law and official sources
Official sources
Statute: KRS 342.040 (waiting period), KRS 342.730 (income benefits), KRS 342.740 (SAWW); KRS 342.730(1)(b), (1)(c)1, (1)(c)2, (4)
- Kentucky Department of Workers' Claims (official site)
- elc.ky.gov/Workers-Compensation/Workers%20Compensation/2026%20Workers'%20Compensation%20Be
- apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=47625
Figures checked September 30, 2026. Maximums change every year; confirm current figures with the Kentucky 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.