How Much Does Pennsylvania Workers’ Comp Pay in 2024?

After a workplace injury or illness, Pennsylvania workers’ compensation covers a portion of your lost wages if you can’t work and it pays for all necessary medical expenses. Most workers can expect payments worth two-thirds of their weekly wages, but there are minimums and maximums. You also need to complete a seven-day waiting period following your injury or illness before you’re eligible for any benefits.

How much does workers’ comp pay in Pennsylvania?

For injuries occurring in 2024, Pennsylvania workers receive payments worth two-thirds of their average wages, up to a maximum of $1,325 per week. You’ll receive that maximum if your annual income is $103,350 or more.

Your average wage is based on how much you earned in the year before your injury. If you are still able to do some work, your workers' compensation checks will be decreased by your weekly work income. (Read more about working while on workers’ comp.)

There is also a minimum payment of either $662.50 per week or 90% of your average weekly wages, whichever is less. You’ll earn that minimum if your gross annual income is at least $51,675.

Learn more about how long benefits last in Pennsylvania.

Calculating your workers’ comp check

The biggest factor influencing your workers’ comp check is your average weekly wages (AWW) before your injury or illness. You can calculate your AWW by dividing your gross annual pay by 52. To determine your check amount, multiply that number by two-thirds.

The formula looks like this:

Weekly workers’ comp check = gross annual wages ÷ 52 x ⅔

Using that formula, let’s say your gross annual income the year before your injury was $54,600. You’d divide that by 52 weeks to get an average weekly wage of $1,050. Then, multiply that by two-thirds and your weekly check amount would be $700.

How much workers’ comp pays for medical treatment

Lost wage payments are one the most important workers’ comp benefits, but they aren’t the only ones. In Pennsylvania, 

Workers’ comp also pays for all medical care related to your injury or illness. Everything from the copay after a routine doctor visit to the cost of surgery is paid by the workers’ comp insurance company.

However, you will need to see a doctor who is in your employer’s insurance network. Keep in mind that this network is separate from your regular health insurance. Your employer should give you a list of at least six in-network workers’ comp doctors who you can choose from.

If you ever find yourself with medical bills or if you want to see a more independent doctor, reach out to a local workers’ comp lawyer. They’re trained in your state laws and will be able to help you fight for additional treatment or care from more independent doctors.

Will I get a workers’ comp settlement?

Many workers’ comp cases end with a settlement one-time, lump-sum settlement payment. Injuries with long, expensive, or difficult recoveries are especially likely to end with a settlement.

The most common time to get an offer from the insurance company is around maximum medical improvement (MMI). MMI is when your workers’ comp doctor determines that you’ve recovered as much as you can, even if you haven’t returned to your full pre-injury condition.

Pennsylvania workers’ comp will move you to permanent benefits at this point (long-term workers’ comp payments) and most insurance companies would rather settle than continue your claim for months or years longer. Settling also helps the insurance avoid potential unexpected medical costs later on.

Accepting a settlement can increase your medical freedom since you won’t need to go through the insurer for care anymore, but negotiating isn’t a simple process. We encourage you to talk with a professional — a local workers’ comp lawyer. The insurer will have lawyers (or a whole team of them) and having your own levels the playing field. (The average settlement with an Atticus lawyer is also twice as high as what people get when negotiating themselves.)

Related article: Average Workers’ Compensation Settlements by Body Part

Get help with your workers’ comp claim

Workers’ compensation can be a technical and confusing process even if you don’t face any major issues. While knowing average payment amounts can help you know what to expect, your exact pay, medical benefits, and settlement value depend on your personal situation. For example, someone in Wilkes-Barre could get a higher settlement than someone who earns more annually working in Philadelphia.

Atticus can help you navigate workers’ comp whether you’re appealing denied benefits or just want straight answers to your questions. We can also connect you with an experienced workers’ comp lawyer who offers a free consultation and doesn’t charge anything until after they get you a settlement.

To learn more, fill out our workers’ comp intake quiz. Then our team will reach out to learn more about your situation and answer any questions you have.

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Related resources:

5 Common Questions About Workers’ Comp Lawyers

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How Much a Workers’ Comp Lawyer Costs in Every State

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