Atticus offers free, high-quality workers' compensation advice to those injured at work. Our team of Stanford and Harvard trained lawyers has a combined 15+ years of legal experience, and help thousands of Americans get the benefits they deserve each year.
Your workers’ comp settlement amount will depend on a variety of factors, including the severity of your injury, future income you could lose because of your injury, and the cost of any future medical treatment. While there’s no single chart or formula that will tell you what your settlement will be, you can find a reasonable baseline. The charts in this article explains the Ohio workers’ comp rates in different situations to give you a starting point in the settlement negotiation process. (If you were recently injured, start with our guide to the Ohio workers’ comp process.)
Your workers’ comp settlement is a lump-sum payment that’s meant to cover future loss of income and future medical benefits. Calculating a fair settlement value requires making multiple estimates, which can be difficult to make on your own. The workers’ comp payment rates in this article can help you approximate how much workers’ comp would pay you for your injury, but we suggest contacting a professional — a workers’ comp lawyer — for a more accurate estimate.
An experienced workers’ comp lawyer in Ohio will know how to estimate your future loss of income and your potential future medical expenses based on similar cases in your area and industry. Average payouts are also much higher with a lawyer since they’re looking out for your best interests and not their profits, unlike the insurance company that’s making you a settlement offer.
Learn more about the factors that affect your final payout in our guide to workers’ comp settlements.
Ohio workers’ comp pays temporary disability benefits to cover your lost wages while you’re first recovering from a work injury.
If you were injured or sick at work in 2024, you’ll receive payments worth 72% of your average weekly wage (AWW) for the first 12 weeks that you’re out of work. After 12 weeks, your payments are worth two-thirds of your average weekly wage.
These payments are subject to maximums and minimums based on whether you also receive Social Security retirement benefits. If your average weekly wage is less than the minimum, you’ll get payments equal to your average weekly wage.
Temporary disability payments have the following maximums and minimums in 2024:
Workers without Social Security retirement: $398.33 minimum and $1,195 maximum
Workers with Social Security retirement: $398.33 minimum and $796.67 maximum
Here are the payment rates for the first 12 weeks of temporary disability and onward, including how they vary when you have Social Security retirement.
Date of injury | Your average weekly wage | Weekly payment |
---|---|---|
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2024 | Less than $553.24 | $398.33 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $553.23 to $1,659.72 | 72% of AWW |
| More than $1,659.72 | $1,195 |
1/1/2023 - 12/31/2023 | Less than $531.94 | $383.00 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $531.94 to $1,595.83 | 72% of AWW |
| More than $1,595.83 | $1,149 |
1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022 | Less than $502.32 | $361.67 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $502.32 to $1,506.94 | 72% of AWW |
| More than $1,506.94 | $1,085 |
Date of injury | Your average weekly wage | Weekly payment |
---|---|---|
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2024 | Less than $597.50 | $398.33 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $597.50 to $1,792.50 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,792.50 | $1,195 |
1/1/2023 - 12/31/2023 | Less than $574.50 | $383.00 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $574.50 to $1,723.50 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,723.50 | $1,149 |
1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022 | Less than $542.51 | $361.67 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $542.51 to $1,627.50 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,627.50 | $1,085 |
Date of injury | Your average weekly wage | Weekly payment |
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2024 | Less than $553.24 | $398.33 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $553.24 to $1,106.49 | 72% of AWW |
| More than $1,106.49 | $796.67 |
1/1/2023 - 12/31/2023 | Less than $531.94 | $383 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $531.94 to $1,063.89 | 72% of AWW |
| More than $1,063.89 | $766 |
1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022 | Less than $502.32 | $361.67 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $502.32 to $1,004.63 | 72% of AWW |
| More than $1,004.63 | $723.33 |
Date of injury | Your average weekly wage | Weekly payment |
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2024 | Less than $597.50 | $398.33 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $597.50 to $1,195 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,195 | $796.67 |
1/1/2023 - 12/31/2023 | Les than $574.50 | $383 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $574.50 to $1,149 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,149 | $766 |
1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022 | Less than $542.51 | $361.67 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $542.51 to $1,085 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,085 | $723.33 |
Workers’ comp pays permanent disability benefits if you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) and either still can’t work or haven’t regained full functionality in the injured body part.
Permanent disability pays at a rate of two-thirds of your average weekly wage with different maximums and minimums than temporary benefits. These limits also vary if you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
In 2024, people without SSDI can receive a minimum workers’ comp payment of $597.50 and a maximum payment of $1,195. People with SSDI can receive a minimum payment of $597.50 and a maximum payment of $796.67.
Date of injury | Your average weekly wage | Weekly payment |
---|---|---|
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2024 | Less than $896.25 | $597.50 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $896.25 to $1,792.50 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,792.50 | $1,195 |
1/1/2023 - 12/31/2023 | Less than $861.75 | $574.50 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $861.75 to $1,723.50 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,723.50 | $1,149 |
1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022 | Less than $813.75 | $542.50 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $813.75 to $1,627.50 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,627.5 | $1,085 |
Date of injury | Your average weekly wage | Weekly payment |
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2024 | Less than $896.25 | $597.50 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $896.25 to $1,195 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,195 | $796.67 |
1/1/2023 - 12/31/2023 | Less than $861.75 | $574.50 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $861.75 to $1,149 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,149 | $766.00 |
1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022 | Less than $813.75 | $542.50 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $813.75 to $1,085 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,085 | $723.33 |
If you have permanently lost some of the use of your injured body part, you will qualify for permanent partial disability payments. These benefits pay at a rate of two-thirds of your average weekly wage with a maximum weekly limit of $398.33 in 2024.
There is also a cap on the length of benefits and total amount of lifetime payments you can receive based on what part of your body was injured. How long your payments last depends on your impairment rating. Once you reach maximum medical improvement, your workers’ comp doctor will assess your condition to determine an impairment rating.
Your permanent benefits are calculated as your impairment rating multiplied by the maximum number of possible weeks and the maximum possible lifetime benefits for your injury.
Permanent partial disability benefits have no minimum payment, but they do have a maximum limit. Below are the payment caps for injuries between 2021 and 2024:
Date of injury | Your average weekly wage | Weekly payment |
---|---|---|
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2024 | Up to $597.55 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $597.55 | $398.33 |
1/1/2023 - 12/31/2023 | Up to $574.56 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $574.56 | $383.00 |
1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022 | Up to $542.56 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $542.56 | $361.67 |
Body part or function | Length of payment | Maximum for total sum of payments |
---|---|---|
Thumb | 60 weeks | $71,700 |
Index finger | 35 weeks | $41,825 |
Third finger | 30 weeks | $35,850 |
Fourth finger | 20 weeks | $23,900 |
Little finger | 15 weeks | $17,925 |
Metacarpal bone (bones in your palm) | 10 weeks | $11,950 |
Hand | 175 weeks | $209,125 |
Arm | 225 weeks | $268,875 |
Big toe | 30 weeks | $35,850 |
Toe besides the big toe | 10 weeks | $11,950 |
Foot | 150 weeks | $179,250 |
Leg | 200 weeks | $239,000 |
Eye | 125 weeks | $149,375 |
Hearing in one ear | 25 weeks | $29,875 |
Total hearing | 125 weeks | $149,375 |
How long your workers’ comp benefits could last will affect your baseline for a fair settlement. But each type of benefits comes with its own limit.:
Temporary disability payments: Until you reach maximum medical improvement or return to work
Permanent partial disability payments: Your disability percentage x 200 weeks
Permanent total disability payments: The rest of your life
Ohio’s worker's comp benefits also cover some travel expenses. You can request reimbursement for travel to doctor’s appointments involving more than a 45-mile round trip. The state Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) can also pay you back for public transportation fees, meals, lodging, and travel companions, depending on the length of your trip.
You can find the full reimbursement rates on Form C-60A, and the mileage reimbursement rates below cover trips from 2021 to 2024:
Date | Reimbursement rate |
---|---|
After August 1, 2022 | 58 cents per mile |
August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022 | 52 cents per mile |
Family members of workers who die due to a work-related injury can get benefits to cover burial expenses and lost financial support. The state worker’s comp bureau will cover up to $5,500 in funeral expenses in 2024.
In addition, family members who were dependent on the worker for financial support can get payments equal to two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly wage. These payments are subject to a minimum of $597.50 per week and a maximum of $796.67 per week in 2024.
Here’s how to calculate your death benefit payments based on the date of the worker’s injury and average weekly wage:
1/1/2024 - 12/31/2024 | Less than $896.25 | $597.50 (or AWW if below minimum) |
---|---|---|
| $896.25 to $1,195 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,195 | $796.67 |
1/1/2023 - 12/31/2023 | Less than $861.75 | $574.50 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $861.75 to $1,149 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,149 | $766 |
1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022 | Less than $813.75 | $542.50 (or AWW if below minimum) |
| $813.75 to $1,085 | Two-thirds of AWW |
| More than $1,085 | $723.33 |
Estimating your workers’ comp settlement isn’t easy on your own. The insurance company (and its team of lawyers) will also do its best to pay you as little as possible. If you want to negotiate a fair settlement, your best option is to talk with an Ohio workers’ comp lawyer.
An experienced lawyer has helped workers in similar situations to fight the insurance company for a settlement that covers all the medical expenses and lost income related to your work injury.
Atticus can connect you to an experienced lawyer today. Fill out our workers’ comp quiz to get started and our team will get in touch to learn more about your situation and answer your questions. If you decide to work with our lawyers, you’ll get a free consultation and you won’t pay anything upfront. You only have to pay the lawyer fee after they help you negotiate your settlement. If you don’t get a settlement, you won’t have to pay your lawyer.
After a work injury or illness, notify your employer as soon as possible and then file a First Report of Injury (FROI) form to apply for benefits. There is a seven-day waiting period (from the time of your injury) before you’re eligible for benefits. You can find more detail in our full guide to Ohio workers’ comp.
Ohio workers’ comp pays up to 72% of your weekly wages for the first 12 weeks, and then up to two-thirds (66 ⅔%). There is also a minimum payment of $398.33 per week and a maximum of $1,195 per week in 2024. Learn more about how much workers’ comp pays in each state.
There is a seven-day waiting period before you’re eligible to receive payments. After you file a claim, the workers’ comp board should approve or deny your claim within four weeks.
Ohio workers’ compensation benefits last until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) or until you can return to work. You can qualify for long-term benefits if you never fully recover. Our guide to how long workers’ comp payments last in each state has more information.
Ohio does allow you to do light-duty or modified-duty work while on workers’ comp, but you need to stay within your treating physician’s instructions. Here’s more working while on workers’ comp.
No, Ohio workers’ comp payments aren’t taxable. That includes medical benefits, weekly payments, and settlements.
How long ago did you get an injury or illness at work?
Victoria Muñoz
Lead Attorney
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