Yes (Returned to work)
No (Did not return / Lower wage)
Estimated Weekly Compensation Rate:
Estimated Total PPD Benefit:
*This calculator uses the Tennessee standard 450-week cap for injuries occurring on or after July 1, 2014. Results are estimates and subject to Tennessee state maximum/minimum benefit caps.
Understanding the Tennessee Impairment Rating Payout
In Tennessee, if you suffer a permanent injury while on the job, you may be entitled to Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) benefits. The value of your settlement is largely determined by your Impairment Rating, which is assigned by a physician once you reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).
How the Tennessee PPD Formula Works
For most injuries occurring after July 1, 2014, Tennessee uses a standard formula to calculate payouts based on "the body as a whole." The baseline for these calculations is 450 weeks. The three main variables include:
Average Weekly Wage (AWW): Your gross earnings over the 52 weeks prior to the injury.
Compensation Rate: Generally 66.67% (two-thirds) of your AWW.
Impairment Rating: The percentage of disability assigned by your doctor using the AMA Guides.
The Importance of the "Multiplier"
One of the most critical aspects of Tennessee workers' comp law is whether the employee returns to work for the same employer at a wage equal to or greater than what they were earning before the injury.
The 1.0x Multiplier: If you return to work at the same or higher wage, your payout is typically your rating times 450 weeks times your compensation rate.
The 1.5x Multiplier: If you do not return to work for that employer, or you return at a lower wage, you may be entitled to a "multiplier" of 1.5 times your impairment rating, significantly increasing the settlement.
Example Calculation
Imagine an employee earns $900 per week. Their compensation rate is $600 (two-thirds of $900). If they receive a 10% impairment rating and return to their job:
If that same employee could not return to work, the multiplier would increase to 1.5, resulting in a $40,500 payout.
Limits and Legal Caps
It is important to note that Tennessee sets a maximum weekly benefit amount every year. Even if your AWW is very high, your weekly compensation rate cannot exceed the state-mandated cap. Furthermore, there are additional factors like "extraordinary loss" which can sometimes increase multipliers even further, though these usually require legal intervention.
function calculateTNPayout() {
var aww = parseFloat(document.getElementById('aww').value);
var rating = parseFloat(document.getElementById('rating').value);
var employmentStatus = document.getElementById('employmentStatus').value;
var resultContainer = document.getElementById('tn-result-container');
var weeklyRateDisplay = document.getElementById('weekly-rate-display');
var totalPayoutDisplay = document.getElementById('total-payout-display');
var multiplierNote = document.getElementById('multiplier-note');
// Validation
if (isNaN(aww) || aww <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Average Weekly Wage.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(rating) || rating 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid Impairment Rating (0-100%).");
return;
}
// 1. Calculate Weekly Comp Rate (66.67% of AWW)
var weeklyRate = aww * (2 / 3);
// Note: TN has max/min caps. While they change annually,
// we'll use the raw calculation but keep a disclaimer.
// 2. Determine Multiplier
var multiplier = 1.0;
if (employmentStatus === 'no') {
multiplier = 1.5;
multiplierNote.innerHTML = "A 1.5x multiplier was applied because you did not return to work at the same wage.";
} else {
multiplierNote.innerHTML = "A 1.0x multiplier was applied because you returned to work at an equal or higher wage.";
}
// 3. Tennessee Formula: (Rating/100) * 450 weeks * Weekly Rate * Multiplier
var ratingDecimal = rating / 100;
var totalPayout = ratingDecimal * 450 * weeklyRate * multiplier;
// Display results
weeklyRateDisplay.innerHTML = "$" + weeklyRate.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
totalPayoutDisplay.innerHTML = "$" + totalPayout.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
resultContainer.style.display = 'block';
}