How Much Are Workers' Compensation Benefits in Washington?

If you were injured or became sick because of your job in Washington, you could be eligible to receive workers' compensation benefits, including medical treatment and compensation for lost wages.

This article explains how the most important workers' comp benefits are calculated in Washington and how much you might receive. (To get these benefits, you will need to file a workers' compensation claim and show that your injury or illness is work related.)

Temporary Disability ("Time-Loss") Benefits in Washington State

You're entitled to benefits meant to replace part of your lost earnings if you can't work at all while you're recovering from your injury or illness, or you can only work with restrictions that limit your earning power. These payments, known in Washington as "time-loss compensation," don't begin until the fourth day after your injury, unless your temporary disability lasts for at least 14 days.

Time-loss benefits will continue until your pre-injury earning power is restored, or your doctor determines that your condition isn't likely to improve, even with further medical treatment.

Calculation of Benefits for Temporary Total Disability

If you're completely unable to work, time-loss benefits are based on your average monthly gross income at the time of your injury, including wages, health benefits, bonuses, and tips. You'll receive 60% to 75% of that income, depending on your marital status and number of dependents.

However, there's a minimum and maximum for time-loss benefits that changes annually, based on a percentage of the statewide average monthly wages for the previous calendar year. For the 12-month span beginning July 1, 2023, the maximum monthly wage-loss payment is $8,416.70 (120% of the statewide average), and the minimum is $1,052.09 (15% of the statewide average).

Calculation of Benefits for Partial Temporary Disability

If you can return to work but aren't able to earn as much as you could before your injury, you may receive a partial wage-loss benefit equal to 80% of the difference between your present wages and your pre-injury earning power.

These payments are subject to the same maximum and minimum as for total temporary disability; there's also a limit on the total you can receive in wages plus partial wage-loss benefits (based on 150% of the statewide average monthly wages).

Permanent Disability Benefits in Washington State

Once your medical condition has stabilized, you will be evaluated to see if your injury or illness has left you with any permanent disability and, if so, to what extent. Depending on the severity of your disability, you may be eligible for a permanent partial disability award or a permanent total disability pension.

Permanent Partial Disability Awards

If you have some permanent limitations because of your injury or illness, you'll be eligible for a permanent partial disability (PPD) award. L&I publishes an annual schedule that sets the amount of awards for impairment to certain body parts, organs, and bodily systems, depending on the level of impairment and the date of your injury.

For impairments to eyes, hearing, and limbs, the schedule lists the amount of an award for complete lost function or an amputation of that body part; awards for partial loss will be a percentage of that amount, in proportion to the level of lost function.

Typically, you'll receive your PPD award in a lump sum, but awards over a certain amount will be spread out over time in monthly payments.

Permanent Total Disability Pensions

Even if you're able to return to work, you may receive a permanent and total disability pension for the following injuries:

• complete loss of use of both legs or arms
• complete loss of use of an arm and a leg
• paralysis, or
• total loss of eyesight.

Other severe impairments may also qualify as a permanent and total disability, but only if they prevent you from performing any type of work.

The amount of your monthly pension benefit will be based on the amount of time-loss compensation you would receive for total temporary disability. You can choose a reduced pension in order to ensure that your designated beneficiary would continue receiving pension payments if you die of causes unrelated to your work injury or illness.

Other Workers' Compensation Benefits in the State of Washington

Washington also provides other workers' compensation benefits, including:

• Medical benefits. Workers' comp pays for all reasonable and necessary treatment for your work-related injury or illness, without any copays or deductibles. You may also receive reimbursement for travel to and from medical appointments.
• Vocational rehabilitation. You may receive vocational rehabilitation services when necessary to help you return to gainful employment. These services could include retraining or help finding a new job.
• Death benefits. If an employee dies as a result of a work-related injury or illness, the surviving spouse is entitled to receive a monthly pension. The amount depends on the deceased employee's pre-injury wages and the number of dependent children in the surviving spouse's custody. If there wasn't a surviving spouse, or that spouse remarries, smaller pension payments will go to the employee's surviving children until they turn 18 (or 23 if they're full-time students). Workers' comp also pays for the burial or cremation expenses, up to a maximum based on the statewide average monthly wage.

Paid Family and Medical Leave in Washington

If you had to miss to work due to injury or illness, whether or not your condition was work-related, you might be eligible for benefits under Washington's new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. Under PFML, you can receive up to 12 weeks of benefits of as much as 90 percent of your income, up to $1,456 per week (in 2024).

Find more information at Washington's Paid Leave website.

Contact a Workers' Comp Attorney for Help Calculating Your Benefits

If L&I disputes your workers' comp claim or isn't paying all of the benefits you deserve, you should speak with a Washington workers' comp lawyer as soon as possible. A lawyer can evaluate your claim and help ensure that you receive the proper compensation.

And if you're worried about paying a lawyer, it may help to know that workers' comp attorneys are only allowed to collect reasonable fees on benefits they help you get. In Washington, the fees can't be more than 15% of what you receive in a structured settlement agreement, or 30% of the increase in your award when you resolve your claim any other way.