Enter your TN impairment rating % and average weekly wage to get an instant PPD settlement estimate under TCA § 50-6-207 — including the 1.35× Enhancement Award for workers who don't return to full pre-injury wages.
Tennessee uses a straightforward 450-week body-as-a-whole formula with a unique 1.35× enhancement for workers who cannot return to full pre-injury wages. Here's what determines your payout.
Enter your Tennessee impairment rating and average weekly wage. Toggle the return-to-work option to see both your base award and the 1.35× enhancement amount. Results apply TCA § 50-6-207(3).
Enter your impairment rating % and average weekly wage to see your estimated Tennessee PPD payout.
Tennessee's Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) formula is one of the most straightforward in the country. Once your authorized physician assigns an impairment rating at Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), the calculation follows a single statutory formula under TCA § 50-6-207(3)(A):
Tennessee's Enhancement Award under TCA § 50-6-207(3)(B) is a powerful and often overlooked provision. If — at the conclusion of your PPD compensation period — you have not returned to employment earning at least 100% of your pre-injury wages, you are entitled to 1.35 times your original PPD award.
Enhanced Award = Base PPD Award × 1.35
Same example: $54,000 × 1.35 = $72,900
Qualifying conditions: worker has not returned to any employer earning ≥ 100% of pre-injury wages at conclusion of the compensation period. This often applies to workers who were laid off, changed industries, or whose permanent impairment prevented them from returning to their prior role.
For injuries to specific body parts (arms, legs, hands, feet, eyes), Tennessee maintains a separate scheduled member table under § 50-6-207(3)(A)(ii). These injuries are assigned a maximum number of weeks independent of the 450-week body-as-a-whole formula. For example, the loss of an arm is worth 200 weeks; a hand, 150 weeks; a leg, 200 weeks. The same 66⅔% AWW rate applies.
When the treating physician and the worker's own physician assign ratings that differ by more than 2 percentage points, Tennessee's Medical Impairment Rating (MIR) Program provides a neutral third opinion. An MIR physician is randomly selected from a state-approved panel. The MIR rating is presumed correct under TCA § 50-6-204(d)(5) — making the selection of your own IME physician critical if you believe your rating is too low.
Quick reference at $900/wk AWW · $600/wk PPD rate
* $900/wk AWW · 66.67% = $600/wk PPD rate. Source: TCA § 50-6-207(3). Estimates only.
Quick reference across common ratings and three AWW levels. Both the base PPD award and the 1.35× enhancement amount are shown — always know both numbers before negotiating.
Actual Tennessee settlements typically include both PPD weeks and future medical costs. For claims settled as a lump sum under TCA § 50-6-229, the judge must determine it is in your best interest — having both figures gives you a stronger negotiating position.
* Formula: Rating % × 450 wks × AWW × 66.67%. Cap at $1,360.70/wk. Enhanced = Base × 1.35. Source: TCA § 50-6-207(3). Estimates only — verify with a TN workers' comp attorney.
The post-2014 Reform Act process — from workplace injury through the Bureau of Workers' Compensation to final PPD settlement.
Report your injury within 15 days (TCA § 50-6-201). File a Petition for Benefit Determination (PBD) with the TN Bureau of Workers' Compensation within 1 year of injury or last authorized treatment. A mediator is assigned automatically.
Receive authorized medical care. Your employer's insurer selects the treating physician. You are entitled to a one-time change of treating physician. Treatment continues until your doctor declares Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).
Your treating physician assigns an impairment rating using the AMA Guides 6th Edition. If your own physician's rating differs by more than 2 points, either party can request the MIR Program for a neutral third opinion — which carries statutory presumption of correctness.
Your PPD weeks are calculated (Rating % × 450). Benefits are paid weekly or as a lump sum approved by a judge under TCA § 50-6-229. If you don't return to full wages at the end of your compensation period, you may claim the 1.35× Enhancement Award.
Tennessee's 2013 Reform Act fundamentally changed how workers' comp claims are handled. This calculator applies the post-reform statutory formula exactly as written in TCA § 50-6-207(3).
This calculator applies Tennessee's exact statutory PPD formula: Rating % × 450 weeks × AWW × 66.67%, capped at the 2026 state maximum of $1,360.70/week. It also computes the 1.35× Enhancement Award where applicable.
All claims with a date of injury on or after July 1, 2014 follow the post-Reform Act rules: Court of Workers' Compensation Claims (CWCC), mandatory PBD mediation, and AMA Guides 6th Edition. This calculator reflects those post-reform rules.
All formulas reflect the official Tennessee Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) guidelines and the 2025–2026 maximum weekly benefit rate of $1,360.70. Both base and enhanced settlement amounts are calculated per statute.
Beyond the Tennessee calculator — specialized tools for every stage of the workers' compensation process.
Calculate impairment rating payouts across all 50 U.S. states. Compare your Tennessee PPD payout to other states instantly.
AvailableFlorida uses Impairment Income Benefits (IBB) — a completely different formula from Tennessee's 450-week system. See how FL compares.
AvailableNew York uses Schedule Loss of Use (SLU) under WC Law § 15. Compare your Tennessee result with New York's body part schedule.
AvailableTexas grants 3 weeks per impairment point (max 401 weeks) under its Impairment Income Benefits (IIB) formula. Compare TN vs TX.
AvailableConvert a body part or regional rating to a whole-person impairment % under the AMA Guides 6th Edition — required for Tennessee claims.
Coming soonFull walkthrough of a Tennessee PPD settlement calculation — including the Enhancement Award, future medical, and attorney fee considerations.
AvailableDetailed articles to help you understand Tennessee's post-reform workers' comp system, your rights, and how to maximize your PPD settlement.
How ratings are assigned under the AMA Guides 6th Edition (Tennessee's mandated standard), how to dispute a rating, and why the MIR Program matters.
Tennessee's average PPD claim settles between $20,000–$40,000. See how TN compares to NY, FL, TX, and other high-volume states.
Weekly benefit caps, PPD formulas, and typical settlement ranges by state — with Tennessee's 2026 rates and Enhancement Award highlighted.
Typical whole-person impairment ranges under AMA Guides 6th Ed. for common Tennessee workplace injuries — back, knee, shoulder, and hand claims.
Step-by-step Tennessee PPD settlement walkthrough — 450-week formula, Enhancement Award, future medical buyout, and what to expect at PBD mediation.
Compare your Tennessee payout to other states. NY uses SLU, FL uses IBB, TX uses IIB — every state formula explained and calculated.