Kentucky Workers' Comp Benefits (2026)
How Kentucky pays injured workers: the weekly rate while you recover, the 2026 maximum, and what each type of permanent injury is worth, with the statute behind each number.
What is different in Kentucky
Benefits triple if the worker cannot return to the same type of work, and double for any period a worker who returned at the same or higher wage later stops earning it. Income benefits end at age 70 or 4 years after the injury, whichever is later.
Weekly benefits while you cannot work
| Weekly rate | 66.67% of AWW (highest 13-week period of the last 52 weeks) |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $1,277.99 (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $232.36 (2026; 20% of SAWW) |
| Waiting period | 7 days |
| Waiting days paid back after | 14 days of disability |
| Time limit on temporary benefits | No fixed week limit in statute |
Estimate your weekly check
What each injury is worth
| Injury | How it is paid | Max award |
|---|---|---|
| Back | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Neck | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Shoulder | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Knee | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Arm | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Hand | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Thumb | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Index Finger | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Leg | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Foot | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Big Toe | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Eye | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
| Hearing Loss | impairment rating (see rule) | — |
Permanent injuries in general
66.67% of AWW × whole-person AMA impairment % × statutory grid factor (0.65 to 1.70), for 425 weeks (520 if rating >50%); ×3 if the worker cannot return to the same type of work.
Law and official sources
Official sources
Statute: KRS 342.040 (waiting period), KRS 342.730 (income benefits), KRS 342.740 (SAWW); KRS 342.730(1)(b), (1)(c)1, (1)(c)2, (4)
- Kentucky Department of Workers' Claims (official site)
- elc.ky.gov/Workers-Compensation/Workers%20Compensation/2026%20Workers'%20Compensation%20Be
- apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=47625
Figures checked September 30, 2026. Maximums change every year; confirm current figures with the Kentucky workers' compensation agency.
Estimate only. Your real award depends on your doctor's rating, your wage records, offsets and settlement terms. This page is general information, not legal advice.