Markhoff & Mittman Blog

Injured on the job? A simple chart will determine what your injury is worth

There are many ways that workers can be injured on the job.  Sharp blades can chop off fingers, falls from high ladders can cripple backs, loud explosions can damage hearing, flying objects can blind eyes, and much more.

Some of the most devastating types of injuries occur when a worker permanently loses the use of a part of their body.  They may lose their eyesight, hearing, or the use of an arm or a leg.  In these situations, workers turn to the New York workers’ comp system to secure compensation for their injuries.  After all, with permanent damage they deserve to be taken care of.

What many workers are surprised to find out is that a simple chart determines the amount of compensation they’ll receive.  That’s right, if you can no longer use one of your limbs a chart – prepared by state authorities – will decide what that injury is worth.

The chart lists the number of weeks pay that each injury is worth, paid out in a lump sum.  For example, permanent loss of the use of an arm is worth a lump sum payment of 312 weeks of wages.  Lose sight in one eye?  That’s 60 weeks of wages.  Chop off the tip of your thumb and you’ll get 75 weeks of pay, but your big toe is only worth 38 weeks and each little toe another 16.

This might seem strange or unfair or heartless but it is the way that the workers’ comp system tries to be ‘fair’.  Now you can probably see why injured workers hire experienced attorneys to fight for their rights!