New Hampshire Workers' Comp Benefits (2026)
How New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire
The permanent impairment award is a separate benefit paid in one lump sum after maximum medical improvement, and ratings must use the AMA Guides 5th edition. Spine ratings based only on soft-tissue injury are excluded unless an arm or leg loses function.
Weekly benefits while you cannot work
| Weekly rate | 60% of AWW, not to exceed 100% of after-tax (net) earnings |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $2,309 (2025-07-01 to 2026-06-30) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $461.74 |
| Waiting period | 3 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 | 350 weeks | $808,150 |
| Neck | 350 weeks | $808,150 |
| Shoulder | depends on how it is rated | — |
| Knee | 140 weeks (as the leg) | $323,260 |
| Arm | 210 weeks | $484,890 |
| Hand | 189 weeks | $436,401 |
| Thumb | 76 weeks | $175,484 |
| Index Finger | 47 weeks | $108,523 |
| Leg | 140 weeks | $323,260 |
| Foot | 98 weeks | $226,282 |
| Big Toe | 18 weeks | $41,562 |
| Eye | 84 weeks | $193,956 |
| Hearing Loss | 123 weeks | $284,007 |
Permanent injuries in general
Whole-person impairment % (AMA Guides 5th ed.) × 350 weeks × comp rate, paid as a single lump sum; used for spine injuries and multiple permanent losses.
Law and official sources
Official sources
Statute: RSA 281-A:22, 281-A:28, 281-A:31-a, 281-A:32; RSA 281-A:32 (I-IX), 281-A:28
- New Hampshire Department of Labor (official site)
- gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/xxiii/281-a/281-a-32.htm
- secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0452120160
Figures checked September 30, 2026. Maximums change every year; confirm current figures with the New Hampshire 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.