
After your attending physician has determined you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI), you may be entitled to a permanent disability award and settlement (PPD). Permanent partial disability awards are designed to compensate you for loss of function. Unfortunately, they do NOT compensate for lost wages, lost or diminished wage earning capacity, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, future damages or out of pocket medical expenses
Permanent disability awards and settlements (PPD)
Once you have reached MMI, a medical provider will be asked to give an opinion about your PPD. This will be calculated based on a permanent impairment rating. Frequently, your employer or the Department of Labor and Industries use hired doctors (so-called Independent Medical Evaluations) to evaluate injured workers for PPDs. It is often helpful to talk to an attorney before attending a so-called Independent Medical Evaluation. Read more about why hiring a workers' compensation attorney would be a good thing for you and your claim here.
This PPD rating must be based upon objective medical evidence, except for mental health conditions. You are not required to have surgery to qualify for a PPD.
PPDs are divided into three groups: 1) specified disabilities, 2) unspecified disabilities, and a catch all category where conditions are rated based on Total Body Impairment.
Specified Disabilities

Specified disabilities generally involve loss of function to your legs, arms, hearing or vision. The amount of money you receive for a “specified disability” is determined by a medical provider rating your loss of function to that particular area of your body.
In determining the loss of function of your “specified disability,” the rating examiner should follow testing set out in a book called American Medical Association’s (AMA) Guide to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. Based on this examination, the examiner will determine your loss of function, as a percentage amount of your extremity, hearing or vision.
Converting the rating to monetary compensation for specified disabilities:
The amount of compensation you will receive is based on a schedule outlined by statute. This schedule lists the value of certain body parts, vision and hearing. These amounts go up every year based on increases in the consumer price index. The appropriate schedule to determine your compensation is based on your injury date, or date of manifestation if you suffered an occupation injury. Then, you receive compensation that equals the percent value of that body part.
Example of converting the rating to monetary compensation for an arm injury: For example, if it is determined that you lost 10% use of your arm. Your injury occurred sometime between 7/1/24 and 6/30/25. According to L&I’s PPD Awards Schedule for injuries occurring during that period, an arm is worth $154,189.59 (at or above the deltoid insertion or by disarticulation of the shoulder.) 10% of $154,189.59 = $15,418.95. In this example, you would receive $15,418.95 for your PPD.
Unspecified Disabilities

Unspecified disabilities generally involve spinal and mental health conditions, respiratory and neurological disorders, disorders affecting internal organs, taste, smell, speech and skin.
The amount of money you receive for these types of partial impairments are based on a “category system.” Each category is defined by the Washington Administrative Code. (WAC 296-20-200 through 296-20-660.) A medical provider will determine which category best fits your injury. That category rating determines the amount of compensation you will receive for your PPD.
The amount of compensation you will receive is based on a schedule outlined by statute. These rates go up every year based on increases in the consumer price index. The appropriate schedule to determine your compensation is based on your injury date, or date of manifestation if you suffered an occupation injury.
Each category above Category 1, is based on the Department’s PPD payment schedule. Category 1 means you will not receive any compensation.
Example of converting the rating to monetary compensation for an lower back injury: For example, if it is determined that your lumbar injury meets the definition of a Category II. This category is defined as “Mild low back impairment, with mild intermittent objective clinical findings of such impairment but no significant X-ray findings and no significant objective motor loss. Subjective complaints and/or sensory losses may be present.” Your injury occurred sometime between 7/1/24 and 6/30/25. According to the L&I’s PPD Awards Schedule, a Category II lumbar is worth $12,849.12. In this example, you would receive $12,849.12 for your PPD.
Total Bodily Impairment (TBI)

Some conditions do not fall within the above outlined rating system. In these cases, PPDs are evaluated based on a Total Bodily Impairment (TBI) outlined in the AMA Guidelines. Some examples include ratings for headaches, sexual dysfunction, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears.) Similar to specified and unspecified disabilities, there is a PPD schedule listing the value of 100% total bodily impairment.
Example of converting the rating to monetary compensation for chronic headaches due to injury: Based on the rating evaluation, the examiner will rate your loss of function based on a percentage of your TBI. For example, if it is determined that you lost 5% of your total body due to chronic headaches. Your injury occurred sometime between 7/1/24 and 6/30/25. According to the Department’s PPD Awards Schedule, your total body is worth $256,982.43. 5% of this amount is $12,849.12. In this example, you would receive $12,849.12 for your TBI impairment.
We are often asked whether an injured worker needs an attorney to help with their L&I claim. Ostrander & Deuel offers free consultations. We are very happy to assess your situation and provide information about what to do now, and also how to help and protect yourself in the future. We will not only see the current problems, but will identify future problems. We can help you maximize your benefits. Workers’ compensation is all we do. We only represent injured workers with their L&I claims.
You can get a free consultation by calling our office at 360.528.4800 or visiting our website at odlawpllc.com and completing our online contact form. Either way, you will be connected to one of our staff members who will walk you through our process.
To view all PPD Schedules, CLICK HERE or you can view the last 10 years below: