Illinois Workers’ Comp Settlement Chart (How Much Is Your Case Worth?)
If you were hurt on the job in Illinois, you are probably asking the same question almost every injured worker asks:
“What is my workers’ comp case worth in Illinois?”
That is a fair question. But there is one important distinction many websites miss:
Illinois does have an official permanent partial disability (PPD) schedule of body parts, but there is no magic settlement chart that can tell you exactly what your case is worth.
The Illinois body-part schedule is a useful starting point for valuing many PPD claims. But real settlement value also depends on your average weekly wage, your medical evidence, your work restrictions, your occupation, your future earning capacity, whether you can return to your old job, and whether future medical treatment is still an issue.
If you want the broader, full case-value guide covering settlement timing, negotiation strategy, how offers get evaluated, and what can increase or decrease value overall, start here: What Is My Illinois Workers’ Comp Case Worth?
By Workers’Compensation Attorney, Matthew C. Jones | Updated March 12, 2026
Key Takeaways
- There is no fixed “average” Illinois workers’ comp settlement. Two workers with the same body-part injury can receive very different outcomes.
- The Illinois PPD schedule is a framework, not a guaranteed calculator. It assigns weeks to body parts, but it does not automatically tell you what your case will settle for.
- Your wage rate matters. Higher average weekly wages often increase the value of PPD benefits and many settlements.
- Permanent restrictions can change everything. If you cannot return to your old job, the case may involve more than a simple body-part analysis.
- You usually should not settle too early. Until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI), it is often impossible to fairly value the case.
Start Here If You Want the Full Settlement Guide
This page is focused on the Illinois workers’ comp settlement chart / PPD schedule and how body-part values fit into case value.
If you want the broader guide on what makes a workers’ comp case worth more or less in Illinois, read this next:
What Is the Illinois Workers’ Comp Settlement Chart?
When people search for an “Illinois workers’ comp settlement chart,” they are usually talking about one of two things:
- the official Illinois PPD schedule of body parts, or
- a rough estimate of what different injuries may be worth in settlement.
The official Illinois chart is the Permanent Partial Disability Benefits Schedule of Body Parts. It assigns a certain number of weeks to specific body parts for injuries on or after June 28, 2011. That schedule is one of the most important starting points in many PPD cases.
But that schedule does not guarantee a specific settlement amount. Illinois law requires the Commission to consider multiple factors in determining permanent partial disability, including impairment evidence, occupation, age, future earning capacity, and medical-record support. That is why a chart alone can never tell the whole story.
Official Illinois Workers’ Comp PPD Schedule (Quick Chart)
Below is a quick-reference version of the official Illinois body-part schedule for common PPD categories used in many workers’ compensation cases.
| Body Part / Loss | Weeks | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Thumb | 76 | Common in crush, laceration, tendon, fracture, and amputation cases. |
| First (index) finger | 43 | Can matter more when grip strength and hand function are affected. |
| Hand | 205 | Often relevant in fracture, nerve, tendon, crush, and repetitive-trauma claims. |
| Arm | 253 | Can be used for shoulder and upper-extremity loss in many cases. |
| Foot | 167 | Relevant in fracture, ligament, crush, and chronic-pain cases. |
| Leg | 215 | Often implicated in knee and lower-extremity cases. |
| Eye | 162 | Important in vision-loss and eye-trauma claims. |
| Hearing loss of one ear | 54 | Usually arises in occupational-hearing-loss claims. |
| Hearing loss of both ears | 215 | Can significantly increase overall disability value. |
| Disfigurement | 162 | May apply in scar, burn, and visible-mark cases. |
Official source: View the full Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission PPD Schedule of Body Parts
How the Illinois Workers’ Comp Settlement Chart Actually Works
The chart helps because it gives Illinois workers, lawyers, insurers, and arbitrators a legal framework for valuing many permanent partial disability cases. But it only tells part of the story.
In plain English, the process usually works like this:
1. Identify the injury category
First, you determine whether the claim is being evaluated as a scheduled body-part injury, disfigurement, person-as-a-whole claim, wage differential case, or something more serious such as permanent total disability.
2. Determine the medical outcome
How much permanent loss are you left with? Did you fully recover, or do you still have pain, weakness, reduced range of motion, numbness, instability, or lifting restrictions?
3. Determine the wage rate
Your average weekly wage affects important benefit calculations. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission publishes the official benefit rates here: Illinois Workers’ Comp Benefit Rates.
4. Look at work impact
If you can return to the same job at the same pay, the value may look very different than if you cannot return to your old work, lose overtime, or have to take a much lower-paying job.
5. Look at the whole picture
That is why the same “body part” can lead to very different settlement outcomes. The chart is real. It matters. But it is only a starting point.
Important
This page is focused on the chart and PPD framework. If you want the broader guide on overall case value, what raises or lowers settlements, and how Illinois workers’ comp cases are evaluated as a whole, read What Is My Illinois Workers’ Comp Case Worth?.
What Usually Increases the Value of an Illinois Workers’ Comp Case?
The chart by itself does not answer this question. Real settlement value tends to go up when one or more of the following are true:
- You needed surgery or other significant treatment.
- You have permanent restrictions that affect your ability to work.
- You cannot return to your old job or your earnings drop permanently.
- Your medical records consistently document ongoing symptoms, functional loss, and objective findings.
- Your injury affects a major body part or your person as a whole in a way that changes your long-term work life.
For deeper guidance on two of the biggest value drivers, read:
- Does Surgery Increase the Value of My Workers’ Comp Case in Illinois?
- How FCEs & Permanent Restrictions Affect Illinois Workers’ Comp Settlements
What Usually Lowers the Value of a Workers’ Comp Case?
Value often goes down when:
- the injury fully heals with little or no lasting loss,
- you return to the same job at the same pay,
- there are treatment gaps or weak medical support,
- there is a dispute about whether the injury is work-related, or
- you settle before your long-term condition is actually clear.
That last point matters a lot. If you settle too early, you may be signing away rights before anyone truly knows the long-term impact of the injury.
Why the Same Body-Part Injury Can Lead to Very Different Settlements
Example 1: Same shoulder, different outcome
Worker A has shoulder pain, goes to therapy, and returns to work with no restrictions. Worker B tears a rotator cuff, needs surgery, and ends up with permanent lifting restrictions. Even if both are “shoulder” claims, Worker B’s case is usually worth more because the long-term functional loss is greater.
Example 2: Same MRI, different wage impact
Two workers may both have a disc injury. One returns to the same job at the same pay. The other cannot go back to heavy labor and has to take a much lower-paying job. The second worker’s case may involve much more than a routine PPD analysis.
Example 3: Same surgery, different earning capacity
A hand surgery on an office worker and the same hand surgery on a mechanic, welder, or warehouse worker may affect earning capacity very differently. That difference can matter when settlement value is evaluated.
If you want the broader version of this discussion, read: What Is My Illinois Workers’ Comp Case Worth?
Settlement Value by Injury Type in Illinois Workers’ Compensation Cases
The quickest way to improve a chart estimate is to compare it against the body part and treatment pattern that actually matches your injury.
- Back Injury Settlement Amounts in Illinois Workers’ Comp
- How Much Is a Shoulder Injury Worth in Illinois Workers’ Comp?
- How Much Does Workers’ Comp Pay for a Knee Injury in Illinois?
- How Much Is a Neck Injury Worth in Illinois Workers’ Comp?
- How Much Is a Hand Injury Worth in Illinois Workers’ Comp?
- How Much Is a Concussion or TBI Worth in Illinois Workers’ Comp?
- How Much Is a Scar Worth Under Illinois Workers’ Comp?
Does Surgery Increase the Value of a Workers’ Comp Case?
Often, yes, but not automatically.
Surgery can increase case value because it usually confirms the seriousness of the injury and may lead to a stronger permanent disability argument. But surgery alone does not decide the case. A worker who has surgery and returns to full duty with no restrictions may have a different settlement picture than a worker who has surgery and still cannot safely return to the same job.
For a full breakdown, read: Does Surgery Increase the Value of My Workers’ Comp Case in Illinois?
How Permanent Restrictions and FCEs Affect Settlement Value
Permanent restrictions are one of the biggest reasons a simple “chart” analysis can fall short.
If your doctor says you cannot safely return to your old work, that can increase settlement value dramatically. In some cases, the real issue is no longer just a body part. The real issue becomes your ability to earn a living going forward.
If you have an FCE, permanent lifting limits, or restrictions on bending, kneeling, climbing, overhead work, repetitive use, or prolonged standing, read this next: How FCEs & Permanent Restrictions Affect Illinois Workers’ Comp Settlements
When Do Illinois Workers’ Comp Cases Usually Settle?
Most meaningful settlement discussions happen at or near maximum medical improvement (MMI). That is when your doctors are usually in the best position to say:
- whether you still need more treatment,
- whether you will have permanent restrictions, and
- how the injury affects your long-term function and work ability.
If you settle before that, you may be guessing about future medical needs and future work loss.
For the full timing guide, read: When Will My Workers’ Comp Case Settle in Illinois?
What This Chart Cannot Tell You
The Illinois workers’ comp settlement chart is useful, but it cannot answer all of these questions:
- Is your average weekly wage being calculated correctly?
- Will your doctor give you permanent restrictions?
- Can you return to your old job?
- Will you need future surgery, injections, or medication?
- Is there a dispute about causation or whether the injury is work-related?
- Could the case involve wage differential, vocational rehabilitation, or more serious long-term disability issues?
That is why this page should be viewed as a chart guide, not a complete settlement guide.
Need the Full Illinois Case-Value Guide?
This page covers the chart. Our full guide covers what your case may really be worth, what raises or lowers settlement value, when cases settle, and what to think about before you accept an offer.
Do You Need a Lawyer to Get a Fair Workers’ Comp Settlement?
Not every case needs a lawyer on day one. But serious cases often get more complicated than a chart can capture.
That is especially true when there are disputes about:
- medical treatment,
- average weekly wage,
- permanent restrictions,
- return-to-work ability,
- future earning capacity, or
- whether the insurer is pushing settlement too early.
For a full breakdown, read: Do I Need a Lawyer to Get a Workers’ Comp Settlement in Illinois?
Frequently Asked Questions About the Illinois Workers’ Comp Settlement Chart
Is there a real Illinois workers’ comp settlement chart?
Yes and no. Illinois has a real PPD schedule of body parts, and that schedule is an important starting point in many permanent partial disability cases. But there is no chart that can guarantee what your case will settle for.
What is the official Illinois workers’ comp chart?
The official chart is the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission PPD Schedule of Body Parts.
How do I find current Illinois workers’ comp rates?
Use the official IWCC rates page here: Illinois Workers’ Comp Benefit Rates.
Does the chart tell me exactly what my case is worth?
No. It is a guide. Real case value depends on the wage rate, medical evidence, restrictions, occupation, future earning capacity, and whether you can return to work.
Should I settle before I reach MMI?
Usually that is risky. Until your condition stabilizes, it is often impossible to know whether the offer fairly accounts for permanent disability and future medical issues.
What page should I read if I want the broader settlement guide, not just the chart?
Start here: What Is My Illinois Workers’ Comp Case Worth?
Talk to an Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyer About What Your Case Is Really Worth
If you are searching for an Illinois workers’ comp settlement chart, you probably do not want vague answers. You want to know where your case stands, what the official body-part schedule means, and whether the insurance company is undervaluing your claim.
A proper case review should include:
- a review of your medical records,
- an accurate wage-rate analysis,
- a review of your restrictions and work status,
- an honest assessment of future earning-capacity issues, and
- a realistic understanding of whether the chart is only the beginning of the analysis.
If you want help evaluating your case, contact us here for a free consultation. You can also review some of our results here: Case Results.
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