Workers' Compensation Settlements for Permanent Impairment

Oklahoma workers' compensation laws provide for no compensation for "pain and suffering" or other hardships caused by your injury.

However, if an injured worker is unable to have a full recovery, an injured is entitled compensation for the impairment caused by the work injury. 

Most body parts are "scheduled," which means that the Oklahoma Legislature has determined what each body part is worth.  For example:

• If an entire index finger is amputated, a person would be entitled to only 39 weeks of compensation at their Permanant Partial Impairment rate. If a person's PPI rate is $323 per week, that means the only financial compensation an injured worker would receive is 39 weeks times $323 = $12,597.00.

• The maximum Permanent Partial Disability a person could receive is 500 weeks. So at $323 per week, that would be $161,500.00 That is us for Permanent Partial Impairment under Oklahoma's statutes with limited exception.

PERMANENT TOTAL DISABILITY

Occassionally, a person becomes unable to hold any job due work injuries.  Oklahoma law tends to follow the same definition of disability that the Social Security Administration does for its disability programs.

Permanent Total Disability lasts ONLY until a person reaches Social Security Retirement age, or 15 years, whichever is longer.

DISFIGUREMENT Compensation for disfigurement is allowed up to $50,000 but only for a body part for which no permanent partial impairment is awarded.

Limitations exist on the above benefits as well as other benefits may apply to other cases.