Louisiana Workers' Comp Benefits (2026)
How Louisiana 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 Louisiana
Scheduled PPD is paid only for anatomical loss of use or amputation rated under the latest AMA Guides; other permanent problems are paid through wage-loss SEB. A separate award of up to 100 weeks can cover serious permanent disfigurement or impaired function not on the schedule.
Weekly benefits while you cannot work
| Weekly rate | 66.67% of AWW |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $903 (2026-09-01 to 2027-08-31 (prior: $877 for 2025-09-01 to 2026-08-31)) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $241 (2026-09-01 to 2027-08-31; 20% of SAWW), or actual wages if lower; minimum for 2025-09-01 to 2026-08-31 not confirmed |
| 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.
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 | 175 weeks (as the leg) | $158,025 |
| Arm | 200 weeks | $180,600 |
| Hand | 150 weeks | $135,450 |
| Thumb | 50 weeks | $45,150 |
| Index Finger | 30 weeks | $27,090 |
| Leg | 175 weeks | $158,025 |
| Foot | 125 weeks | $112,875 |
| Big Toe | 20 weeks | $18,060 |
| Eye | 100 weeks | $90,300 |
| Hearing Loss | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
Permanent injuries in general
no whole-body impairment award; unscheduled injuries are paid as Supplemental Earnings Benefits = 66 2/3% of the full pre-/post-injury monthly earnings gap, when earning capacity is below 90% of pre-injury wages, up to 520 weeks.
Supplemental earnings benefits (SEB): worked illustration
The 90% threshold concerns the earnings condition, not the calculation base. With pre-injury monthly wages of $4,000 and post-injury earning capacity of $3,000, the illustration is 2/3 × ($4,000 − $3,000) = $666.67 monthly before limits and adjustments. Do not subtract from 90% of $4,000. This tool illustrates that formula only; it does not decide causation, earning capacity, eligibility or duration.
Shoulder: confirm the applicable category first
Louisiana has no shoulder entry. The arm is 200 weeks for anatomical loss of use or amputation; the statute does not say whether a shoulder rating counts as loss of the arm or falls under wage-loss Supplemental Earnings Benefits.
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
Includes secondary sources
Statute: La. R.S. 23:1221 (TTD, PTD, SEB, PPD schedule), 23:1202 (max/min), 23:1224 (waiting period); La. R.S. 23:1221(3) (SEB), 23:1221(4) (schedule, (4)(p), (4)(q))
- Office of Workers' Compensation Administration (OWCA), Louisiana Workforce Commission (official site)
- legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=83447
- law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/revised-statutes/title-23/rs-23-1221/
- legis.la.gov/legis/LawPrint.aspx?d=83450
Figures checked September 30, 2026. Maximums change every year; confirm current figures with the Louisiana 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.