L&i Settlement Calculator

L&I Settlement Estimator

Back/Spine Neck Shoulder Knee Hand/Wrist Foot/Ankle Elbow Hip

Estimated Settlement Details:

Gross PPD Award: $0.00

Estimated Attorney Fees: $0.00

Net Settlement After Deductions: $0.00

function calculateSettlement() { var ppdRating = parseFloat(document.getElementById('ppdRating').value); var bodyPart = document.getElementById('bodyPart').value; var ageAtInjury = parseFloat(document.getElementById('ageAtInjury').value); var attorneyFeePercentage = parseFloat(document.getElementById('attorneyFeePercentage').value); var liensOverpayments = parseFloat(document.getElementById('liensOverpayments').value); var resultMessage = document.getElementById('resultMessage'); resultMessage.textContent = "; // Clear previous messages // Input validation if (isNaN(ppdRating) || ppdRating 100) { resultMessage.textContent = 'Please enter a valid PPD Rating between 0 and 100.'; return; } if (isNaN(ageAtInjury) || ageAtInjury 100) { resultMessage.textContent = 'Please enter a valid Age at Injury between 18 and 100.'; return; } if (isNaN(attorneyFeePercentage) || attorneyFeePercentage 50) { resultMessage.textContent = 'Please enter a valid Attorney Fee Percentage between 0 and 50.'; return; } if (isNaN(liensOverpayments) || liensOverpayments < 0) { resultMessage.textContent = 'Please enter a valid amount for L&I Liens/Overpayments (0 or greater).'; return; } // Simplified PPD Schedule (illustrative, not actual L&I schedule values) // These values represent a hypothetical 100% impairment for the given body part. var ppdSchedule = { "back": 120000, "neck": 110000, "shoulder": 90000, "knee": 80000, "hand": 70000, "foot": 65000, "elbow": 75000, "hip": 100000 }; var basePPDValue = ppdSchedule[bodyPart] || 0; // Get base value for the selected body part // Calculate Gross PPD Award var grossPPD = (ppdRating / 100) * basePPDValue; // Apply an age factor (hypothetical: younger individuals might have slightly higher future wage loss consideration) // This is a simplification; actual L&I calculations are more complex. var ageFactor = 1; if (ageAtInjury 60) { ageFactor = 0.95; } grossPPD *= ageFactor; // Calculate Attorney Fees var attorneyFeesAmount = (attorneyFeePercentage / 100) * grossPPD; // Calculate Net Settlement var netSettlement = grossPPD – attorneyFeesAmount – liensOverpayments; // Display results document.getElementById('grossPPD').textContent = '$' + grossPPD.toFixed(2).replace(/\B(?=(\d{3})+(?!\d))/g, ","); document.getElementById('attorneyFeesAmount').textContent = '$' + attorneyFeesAmount.toFixed(2).replace(/\B(?=(\d{3})+(?!\d))/g, ","); document.getElementById('netSettlement').textContent = '$' + netSettlement.toFixed(2).replace(/\B(?=(\d{3})+(?!\d))/g, ","); } .calculator-container { font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif; background-color: #f9f9f9; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 8px; padding: 25px; max-width: 700px; margin: 20px auto; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08); } .calculator-container h2 { text-align: center; color: #333; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 1.8em; } .calculator-form .form-group { margin-bottom: 18px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; } .calculator-form label { margin-bottom: 8px; color: #555; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.95em; } .calculator-form input[type="number"], .calculator-form select { padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 1em; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; transition: border-color 0.3s ease; } .calculator-form input[type="number"]:focus, .calculator-form select:focus { border-color: #007bff; outline: none; box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.2); } .calculate-button { display: block; width: 100%; padding: 14px; background-color: #007bff; color: white; border: none; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease; margin-top: 25px; } .calculate-button:hover { background-color: #0056b3; transform: translateY(-2px); } .calculator-result { background-color: #e9f7ff; border: 1px solid #cce5ff; border-radius: 8px; padding: 20px; margin-top: 30px; } .calculator-result h3 { color: #0056b3; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 15px; font-size: 1.4em; text-align: center; } .calculator-result p { font-size: 1.1em; color: #333; margin-bottom: 10px; display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; } .calculator-result p span { font-weight: bold; color: #007bff; font-size: 1.15em; } @media (max-width: 600px) { .calculator-container { padding: 15px; margin: 15px; } .calculator-form label, .calculator-form input[type="number"], .calculator-form select, .calculate-button { font-size: 0.95em; } .calculator-result p { flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; } .calculator-result p span { margin-top: 5px; font-size: 1.1em; } }

Understanding Your L&I Settlement: A Comprehensive Guide

When you sustain a work-related injury or illness in Washington State, the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) manages your workers' compensation claim. If your injury results in a permanent impairment, you may be eligible for a Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) settlement. This calculator is designed to provide an estimated value of such a settlement, helping you understand the potential financial outcome of your claim.

What is a Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Settlement?

A PPD settlement is compensation for a permanent impairment to a body part or system that has reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). This means your doctor believes your condition is stable and unlikely to improve further, even with additional medical treatment. The impairment is rated by a medical professional according to specific L&I guidelines, resulting in a percentage rating for the affected body part.

Key Factors Influencing Your L&I Settlement

Several critical factors determine the amount of your L&I settlement. Understanding these can help you better interpret the calculator's results and your overall claim:

  • Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Rating: This is the most significant factor. A medical examiner assigns a percentage rating to your impairment based on L&I's PPD schedule. A higher rating generally leads to a larger settlement.
  • Affected Body Part: L&I's PPD schedule assigns different base values to various body parts. For example, a permanent impairment to the back might have a higher base value than an impairment to a finger, reflecting the impact on overall earning capacity and quality of life.
  • Age at Injury: While not a direct multiplier in the PPD schedule, age can sometimes be a factor in broader settlement discussions, especially concerning future earning capacity. Younger workers might have a longer period of potential wage loss due. Our calculator includes a simplified age factor for illustrative purposes.
  • Average Monthly Wage (AMW): Your AMW at the time of injury is crucial for calculating time-loss compensation, but it does not directly determine your PPD settlement amount. PPD is based on the impairment itself, not your wage.
  • Attorney Fees: Many injured workers choose to hire an attorney to navigate the complex L&I system. Attorney fees are typically a percentage of the settlement amount, often capped by state law. Our calculator allows you to input an estimated percentage.
  • L&I Liens/Overpayments: If L&I has paid for certain benefits that are later deemed an overpayment, or if there are specific liens against your settlement (e.g., for certain medical costs), these amounts will be deducted from your gross settlement.
  • Medical Costs: While L&I covers approved medical treatment for your work injury, these costs are generally separate from your PPD settlement. The settlement is for the permanent impairment, not the cost of treatment.

How Our L&I Settlement Estimator Works

Our calculator uses a simplified model to estimate your potential PPD settlement. Here's a breakdown of the inputs and how they contribute to the calculation:

  1. PPD Rating (%): Enter the percentage of permanent impairment assigned by your doctor or L&I.
  2. Affected Body Part: Select the body part that sustained the permanent impairment. The calculator uses hypothetical base values for different body parts, reflecting that some impairments are valued higher than others.
  3. Age at Injury (Years): Your age at the time of injury. This is used to apply a minor, illustrative adjustment factor.
  4. Attorney Fee Percentage (%): Input the percentage your attorney might charge. This is deducted from the gross settlement.
  5. L&I Liens/Overpayments (Estimated $): Enter any known or estimated amounts that L&I might deduct from your settlement.

The calculator then estimates a "Gross PPD Award" based on your PPD rating and the selected body part's base value, adjusted by age. From this gross amount, it deducts the estimated attorney fees and any L&I liens/overpayments to arrive at a "Net Settlement After Deductions."

Important Disclaimer

This L&I Settlement Estimator is for informational purposes only and provides a simplified estimate. Actual L&I settlements are highly complex and depend on numerous specific details of your case, including precise medical evaluations, L&I's specific PPD schedules (which can change), and legal interpretations. The base values used in this calculator are illustrative and do not reflect the exact figures used by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. You should always consult with an experienced workers' compensation attorney or L&I directly for accurate information regarding your specific claim.

Example Scenarios:

Example 1: Moderate Back Injury

  • PPD Rating: 15%
  • Affected Body Part: Back/Spine
  • Age at Injury: 40 years
  • Attorney Fee Percentage: 15%
  • L&I Liens/Overpayments: $500
  • Calculation:
    • Hypothetical Base Value for Back (100% impairment): $120,000
    • Gross PPD Award (15% of $120,000 * age factor): $18,000 * 1 = $18,000
    • Attorney Fees (15% of $18,000): $2,700
    • Net Settlement: $18,000 – $2,700 – $500 = $14,800
  • Estimated Net Settlement: $14,800.00

Example 2: Minor Hand Injury

  • PPD Rating: 5%
  • Affected Body Part: Hand/Wrist
  • Age at Injury: 30 years
  • Attorney Fee Percentage: 20%
  • L&I Liens/Overpayments: $0
  • Calculation:
    • Hypothetical Base Value for Hand (100% impairment): $70,000
    • Gross PPD Award (5% of $70,000 * age factor): $3,500 * 1.05 = $3,675
    • Attorney Fees (20% of $3,675): $735
    • Net Settlement: $3,675 – $735 – $0 = $2,940
  • Estimated Net Settlement: $2,940.00

Example 3: Severe Knee Injury (Older Worker)

  • PPD Rating: 25%
  • Affected Body Part: Knee
  • Age at Injury: 65 years
  • Attorney Fee Percentage: 10%
  • L&I Liens/Overpayments: $1,200
  • Calculation:
    • Hypothetical Base Value for Knee (100% impairment): $80,000
    • Gross PPD Award (25% of $80,000 * age factor): $20,000 * 0.95 = $19,000
    • Attorney Fees (10% of $19,000): $1,900
    • Net Settlement: $19,000 – $1,900 – $1,200 = $15,900
  • Estimated Net Settlement: $15,900.00

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