A workers comp shoulder injury settlement can be a share of an arm's value, and Illinois gives an arm 253 weeks. Your rating decides how many of those weeks you get. Call us now for a free case review, and an attorney gets on it right away.
How a workers comp shoulder injury settlement is figured
States split on the shoulder. Some rate it as part of the arm. Others rate it against the whole body, and that choice can change the value a lot.
On an arm schedule, each arm has a set number of weeks. Ohio lists 225 weeks for the loss of an arm, and Illinois lists 253. Your rating is a percent of that base.
New York works the same idea from the other side. A doctor reports the share of use you lost for good, called schedule loss of use. That percent is then used to count your weeks of benefits.
Amy's shoulder rating, worked out
Amy works in Illinois and tore her shoulder lifting drywall. After treatment, her doctor rates a 10% loss of use of the arm.
The Illinois schedule gives an arm 253 weeks. Her math is 253 × 10% = 25.3 weeks of checks.
Those weeks get paid at her weekly rate. A higher rating, or a whole-body rating, would mean more weeks. One point on a rating is real money.
What a full arm loss is worth in Ohio
Ohio puts a dollar figure on its schedule. Its 2026 table shows $288,225 for total loss of an arm. That works out to $288,225 ÷ 225 weeks = $1,281 a week.
Most shoulder claims are not a total loss. Still, the table shows how high an arm can reach, so a low rating costs you.
Never sign a release before an attorney checks the rating and the offer. Once you sign, the claim is usually closed for good.
Surgery and the final rating
A rotator cuff repair or a shoulder replacement usually moves your rating. The insurer pays for approved surgery as part of your medical care.
Wait to settle until the final rating is in. That rating comes once you reach maximum medical improvement. Learn how your impairment rating gets set.
No surgery does not mean no case. If you lost reach, grip or lifting power, the rating can still add up.
What raises a shoulder settlement
Four things move the number most.
- How your state rates the shoulder, as an arm or as the whole body.
- The rating your doctor gives after treatment.
- Your wage before you got hurt.
- Care you will still need, like therapy, shots or another surgery.
An insurer's doctor may rate you low at an independent medical exam. Your attorney can push back with your own doctor's findings.
What a lawyer costs you
The case review is free. You pay no fee unless you win, and the attorney is paid only out of money recovered.
State law caps that fee. See what a workers comp lawyer costs, or read about settlement offers before you sign anything.
Questions injured workers ask
What is the average workers comp settlement for a shoulder injury?
No official national average exists. Your state's arm or whole-body weeks set the base, and your rating sets your share. Call us for a free review of your numbers.
How much should I settle my shoulder injury for?
Start with your rating times your state's weeks, paid at your weekly rate. Then add the care you still need. An attorney can check the offer before you sign.
What if my shoulder injury did not need surgery?
The settlement is usually lower, because the rating is often lower. It can still be large if you lost real use of your arm.
Does workers comp pay for shoulder surgery?
The insurer pays for approved surgery as part of your medical care. The rating after surgery drives the settlement.
What should I do if the insurer offers a settlement now?
Your first move is a call to us for a free case review. Do not sign until your final rating is in and an attorney has looked at the offer.
Rates updated Sep 22, 2026