Arkansas splits the cost of a contested case. When an attorney wins weekly benefits for you, the fee is 25% of those weekly (indemnity) benefits, never a cut of your medical care. Half is paid by the employer or insurer and half comes out of your award.
The other rule to learn early is about doctors. Your employer or its insurer chooses the doctor. If that is not working, you can ask the Commission for a change of physician.
Arkansas weekly benefit amounts
Checks equal two-thirds of your average weekly wage. The cap depends on the year you were hurt: $953 a week for 2026 injuries and $991 for injuries from January 1, 2027. The minimum is $20 a week. Average weekly wage means your usual gross pay averaged over a week and the cap applies even when two-thirds of it would be higher.
You are not paid for the first 7 days unless your disability lasts more than 14 days. See our guide to weekly checks for an estimate based on your pay.
| Weekly check | two-thirds (66 2/3%) of your average weekly wage |
|---|---|
| Weekly cap, injuries in 2026 | $953 |
| Weekly minimum | $20 |
| Waiting period | first 7 days unpaid unless you are disabled more than 14 days |
Three Arkansas deadlines to track
- Telling your employer: as soon as it happens, in writing, with the time, place and nature of the injury.
- Filing your claim with the Commission: within two years of the injury or one year from the last payment of compensation.
- Appealing a judge's decision to the Full Commission: within 30 days of receiving it.
Were benefits paid for a time and then cut off? Then the one-year window from the last payment may be the date to watch. Our page on stopped checks walks through that situation.
If the Arkansas insurer says no
A denial letter is the insurer's view of your claim. The Commission is where a contested claim gets decided, first by a judge and then, if someone appeals, by the Full Commission. Filing your claim with the Commission is how your side gets heard.
Bring the denial letter, your pay stubs and any doctor notes when you talk with an attorney. Those three items answer most first questions. Our guide to a denied workers comp claim lists other papers worth keeping.
You can reach the Commission at 1-800-250-2511 with questions about forms and filing.
How an Arkansas workers comp lawyer is paid
The Commission approves every fee. The maximum is 25% of indemnity benefits, the weekly money that replaces lost wages. Medical benefits are left out of the fee entirely. In a contested case, the employer or insurer covers half and the other half comes from your award. Ask the attorney to show you how both halves are figured in your case.
People also ask
Does the fee come out of my medical bills?
No. Arkansas limits the fee to a share of weekly benefits and nothing is taken from medical benefits.
Can I switch away from the company doctor?
You can ask the Commission for a change of physician. The employer or its insurer makes the first choice.
How fast do I have to tell my boss in Arkansas?
Right away, in writing. Include the time, place and nature of the injury so there is no question about it later.