Arkansas Workers’ Comp Payout Data Report (2026)

The average workers’ compensation claim in Arkansas costs $11,778 across all claim types, according to the NCCI Annual Statistical Bulletin 2026, Exhibit 11. For lost-time claims specifically — the cases most injured workers actually experience — that figure rises to $46,129. Permanent partial disability claims average $89,352, while fatal claims average $317,481. Temporary total disability claims average $25,233, and medical-only claims average just $1,356. Arkansas sits 25.3% below the national all-claims average of $15,761, though that gap narrows significantly when comparing lost-time claims head-to-head against national benchmarks.

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Arkansas Workers’ Comp Claim Cost Data (2026)

The table below presents average total costs per claim in Arkansas by claim type, as reported in the NCCI Annual Statistical Bulletin 2026, Exhibit 11. “Total cost” includes both indemnity (wage replacement) payments and medical costs combined.

Claim Type	Average Total Cost (AR)
All claims (combined)	$11,778
Medical-only claims	$1,356
Lost-time claims (all)	$46,129
Temporary total disability (TTD)	$25,233
Permanent partial disability (PPD)	$89,352
Permanent total disability (PTD)	Not reported to NCCI
Fatal claims	$317,481

Source: NCCI Annual Statistical Bulletin 2026, Exhibit 11. All figures represent the average total cost per case (indemnity + medical) for claims with accident years 2021–2022, evaluated at 24 months of development, as reported by carriers writing workers’ compensation coverage in Arkansas.

Note on PTD: Arkansas does not report permanent total disability claim cost data to NCCI, so no state-specific average is available for that category. Injured workers with PTD claims should consult an attorney and reference AWCC adjudication records for case-by-case guidance.

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How Arkansas Compares to the National Average

According to the NCCI Annual Statistical Bulletin 2026, the national average total cost across all workers’ compensation claims is $15,761. Arkansas’s all-claims average of $11,778 is $3,983 lower — a 25.3% discount relative to the national figure. Several factors likely drive this gap: Arkansas has a lower average weekly wage than many states, which directly compresses indemnity benefit amounts, and the state’s medical cost environment trends below coastal and Midwest metro averages.

However, that top-line comparison obscures important nuances. For severe injuries — amputations, head and CNS trauma, motor vehicle accidents — national benchmark data from the NSC Injury Facts 2024 shows costs that dwarf Arkansas’s average lost-time figure. These high-severity claims are not compressed by geography the way routine soft-tissue or fracture claims are.

The table below compares Arkansas’s claim cost data against national benchmarks by injury and cause category. Where NCCI Arkansas-specific data by injury type is not separately published, the national figures from NSC Injury Facts 2024 (citing NCCI) serve as the applicable benchmark for evaluating individual claim severity.

Claim / Injury Category	Arkansas Average	National Average	AR vs. National
All claims (combined)	$11,778	$15,761	−25.3%
Lost-time claims	$46,129	$47,316	−2.5%
TTD claims	$25,233	N/A published	—
PPD claims	$89,352	N/A published	—
Fatal claims	$317,481	N/A published	—
Medical-only claims	$1,356	N/A published	—
Amputation injuries	(national benchmark)	$125,058	—
Head/CNS injuries	(national benchmark)	$90,043	—
Motor vehicle accidents	(national benchmark)	$91,433	—
Multiple body parts	(national benchmark)	$77,614	—
Neck injuries	(national benchmark)	$70,575	—
Leg injuries	(national benchmark)	$61,977	—
Falls/slips	(national benchmark)	$54,499	—
Arm/shoulder injuries	(national benchmark)	$55,115	—
Fractures/crush/dislocation	(national benchmark)	$66,467	—
Burns	(national benchmark)	$64,973	—

Sources: NCCI Annual Statistical Bulletin 2026 (Arkansas figures); NSC Injury Facts 2024, citing NCCI (national injury/cause category figures).

How to read this table: If you suffered an amputation on a job site in Arkansas, the national benchmark of $125,058 represents what similarly situated claims cost on average across the country. Your Arkansas claim may resolve differently depending on your specific wage, impairment rating, and medical costs — but this benchmark establishes a credible reference point when evaluating any settlement offer.

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Arkansas Benefit Rate Schedule (2026)

Arkansas workers’ compensation benefits are governed by Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-501 et seq. and administered by the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission (AWCC). The benefit rate schedule below reflects 2026 maximums as published by AWCC.

Benefit Type	Wage Replacement Rate	Maximum Weekly Benefit (2026)	Notes
Temporary Total Disability (TTD)	66.67% of average weekly wage	$953.00/week	Payable while totally unable to work; subject to statutory maximum
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD)	66.67% of difference between pre- and post-injury wages	$953.00/week (capped)	Applies when worker returns to light duty at reduced wages
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD)	66.67% of average weekly wage	$953.00/week	Duration determined by scheduled loss (body part) or impairment rating
Permanent Total Disability (PTD)	66.67% of average weekly wage	$953.00/week	Payable for life if worker is permanently and totally disabled
Death Benefits	66.67% of average weekly wage	$953.00/week	Paid to surviving dependents; burial benefit also available

Sources: Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission, https://www.awcc.state.ar.us/; Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-501.

Statute of limitations: In Arkansas, an injured worker has 2 years from the date of injury (or last payment of compensation, whichever is later) to file a claim. Missing this deadline typically bars recovery entirely. Do not wait.

No statutory minimum benefit: Arkansas does not specify a minimum weekly benefit amount in statute. Low-wage workers receive 66.67% of their actual average weekly wage regardless of how low that figure may be.

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What These Numbers Mean for Your Claim

Data is only useful if you know how to apply it. Here is how I’d think through these numbers if I were sitting across from an insurance adjuster with a settlement offer in hand.

When I got my settlement offer in 2019, the number felt significant — right up until I started doing the math. The adjuster presented a lump sum that, on paper, looked like real money. But when I divided it by the number of weeks I’d be unable to work at full capacity, and subtracted the medical bills that weren’t covered, the effective wage replacement came out to about 40 cents on the dollar. The NCCI benchmark data wasn’t in my hands that day. It should have been.

Here is how to use this data when evaluating a settlement offer in Arkansas:

Step 1 — Identify your claim type. Is your claim likely to close as TTD (you recovered and returned to full duty), PPD (you have lasting impairment), or PTD (you cannot return to any meaningful work)? The average cost figures in this report vary by a factor of more than 6x between TTD ($25,233) and PPD ($89,352). Misidentifying your claim type is how settlements get undervalued.

Step 2 — Calculate your theoretical maximum weekly benefit. Take your average weekly wage at the time of injury, multiply by 66.67%, and confirm it doesn’t exceed $953.00. That is the ceiling on your weekly indemnity benefit. If the insurer’s calculation of your average weekly wage is wrong — and it often is, particularly for workers with overtime, multiple jobs, or seasonal earnings — your entire benefit calculation is wrong.

Step 3 — Compare your offer to the applicable benchmark. If you have a PPD claim and your settlement offer is $31,000, the NCCI data showing a $89,352 average for PPD claims in Arkansas is a relevant data point. That doesn’t mean $89,352 is what you’re owed — your impairment rating, wage, and medical history all matter. But it means $31,000 deserves serious scrutiny.

The insurance company’s playbook: Carriers have access to the same NCCI data you’re reading right now. Their adjusters are trained to close claims at or below average. An average, by definition, means half of claimants received less. If your injury is more severe than average, your settlement should be above average. The burden of demonstrating that falls on you — or your attorney.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average workers’ comp settlement in Arkansas?

According to the NCCI Annual Statistical Bulletin 2026, Exhibit 11, the average total cost per workers’ compensation claim in Arkansas is $11,778 across all claim types. However, this figure is heavily influenced by the large volume of medical-only claims, which average only $1,356 and require no wage replacement at all.

For lost-time claims — the ones involving missed work and indemnity payments — the Arkansas average rises to $46,129. Permanent partial disability claims, which represent the most common type of “settlement” in the traditional sense, average $89,352 in Arkansas.

It’s important to understand that “average settlement” is not a fixed entitlement. Your actual settlement or award depends on: your average weekly wage at the time of injury; the permanent impairment rating assigned by your treating or independent physician; the number of weeks of benefit associated with your injured body part under Arkansas’s scheduled loss statute; your future medical costs; and whether your claim involves any dispute about causation or compensability. The NCCI averages are aggregate cost data — they tell you what the system pays on average, not what your specific claim is worth. Use them as a benchmark, not a target.

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How long does a workers’ comp claim take in Arkansas?

The timeline for a workers’ compensation claim in Arkansas varies significantly based on whether your claim is accepted without dispute or contested by the employer and insurer.

For uncontested claims, temporary total disability benefits should begin within 15 days of the employer receiving notice of the injury, per Arkansas statute. Medical treatment begins immediately upon referral to an authorized treating physician. If your injury resolves without permanent impairment, the claim may close within weeks to a few months.

For contested claims — where compensability, medical causation, or benefit amounts are disputed — the process moves through the AWCC administrative hearing system. An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing may not be scheduled for several months after a claim is filed, and appeals to the full Commission or to Arkansas appellate courts can extend proceedings to two years or more.

According to AWCC procedural guidelines, parties typically receive an ALJ hearing date within 6 to 12 months of filing. The full appeals process, if pursued, can add another 12 to 24 months. Injured workers should also be aware that the 2-year statute of limitations runs from the date of injury or last payment of compensation — not from when the dispute began. Filing delays are among the most common reasons valid claims are forfeited entirely.

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What factors affect my workers’ comp settlement amount in Arkansas?

Several variables directly determine what a workers’ compensation claim pays in Arkansas:

1. Average weekly wage (AWW): Your indemnity benefit is 66.67% of your AWW, capped at $953.00/week. How AWW is calculated — including whether overtime, tips, second-job income, and fringe benefits are included — can substantially change your benefit amount. Errors in AWW calculation are common and worth verifying.

2. Impairment rating: For PPD claims, the American Medical Association Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides) are used to assign a whole-person or body-part impairment rating. A difference of even 5 percentage points in your rating can translate to thousands of dollars in benefit duration.

3. Body part injured: Arkansas uses a scheduled loss system that assigns a fixed number of weeks of compensation to specific body parts. Injuries to the spine, head, or involving multiple body parts may fall under “unscheduled” loss provisions, which can result in higher or lower awards depending on the circumstances.

4. Medical costs: Total claim cost includes both medical and indemnity. High-cost medical treatment — surgery, imaging, pain management, physical therapy — increases total claim value. Disputes about whether specific treatment is “reasonably necessary” are a common source of litigation.

5. Return-to-work status: A claimant who returns to work at full wages closes out TTD benefits. One who cannot return, or returns to a lower-wage modified duty position, may be entitled to ongoing TPD or eventually PTD benefits, materially increasing total claim value.

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How do I know if my settlement offer is fair?

Evaluating a settlement offer in Arkansas requires comparing the offer against the full present value of your entitled benefits — not just the lump sum on the table.

Start with the NCCI benchmark data in this report. If you have a PPD claim and your offer is below the $89,352 average for Arkansas PPD claims, that discrepancy requires explanation. Is your impairment rating genuinely below average? Is your weekly wage lower than a typical Arkansas worker’s? If the answer to both questions is no, the offer may be undervalued.

Next, calculate the value of your future medical benefits. In Arkansas, workers may retain the right to future medical treatment as a separate component of their claim. A settlement that closes out future medical care in exchange for a lump sum must include a realistic projection of those future costs — often tens of thousands of dollars for claims involving surgery, chronic pain, or orthopedic hardware.

Then consider the offset: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients may see their workers’ comp benefits reduced under Arkansas’s coordination of benefits rules. This affects how net settlement value is calculated if you are also pursuing SSDI.

Finally, and most practically: if you cannot explain why the offer is fair based on your specific wage, rating, and medical history, you do not yet have enough information to accept it. An independent evaluation from a workers’ comp attorney — most of whom offer free consultations in Arkansas — is the lowest-cost way to get a second opinion before signing a settlement agreement that is almost certainly final and non-revocable.

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Should I hire a workers’ comp attorney in Arkansas?

The data strongly suggests that legal representation improves outcomes in contested workers’ compensation claims — though the answer depends on the nature of your specific situation.

For uncontested medical-only claims that are accepted, treated, and closed without permanent impairment, attorney representation is often unnecessary and adds cost without proportionate benefit.

For contested claims, PPD claims, or any situation where your employer or their insurer has denied compensability, disputed your medical treatment, or presented a settlement offer, the calculus changes. Arkansas workers’ comp attorneys are paid on a contingency fee basis, which is regulated by the AWCC and typically capped at 25% of the disputed amount awarded — meaning you pay nothing unless you recover.

The NCCI data in this report shows that PPD claims average $89,352 in Arkansas. The difference between a well-documented claim and a poorly documented one — in terms of impairment rating, AWW calculation, and medical necessity disputes — can easily exceed $20,000 to $30,000. Attorney fees of 25% on a disputed amount are frequently offset many times over by the difference in outcome.

Specific situations where an Arkansas workers’ comp attorney is strongly advisable: your claim has been denied; your employer disputes that the injury occurred at work; you have been given a low impairment rating you believe is inaccurate; you have received a settlement offer before reaching maximum medical improvement (MMI); or your employer has retaliated against you for filing a claim. The AWCC provides a list of certified workers’ compensation practitioners on its website at https://www.awcc.state.ar.us/.

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Data Sources and Methodology

Primary Source: NCCI Annual Statistical Bulletin 2026, Exhibit 11

Full citation: National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI). Annual Statistical Bulletin, 2026 Edition, Exhibit 11: Average Cost Per Case by State and Type of Case. Boca Raton, FL: NCCI Holdings, Inc., 2026.

NCCI collects unit statistical data from insurers writing workers’ compensation coverage in most U.S. states, including Arkansas. Exhibit 11 presents average total claim costs — combining indemnity and medical payments — by state and by claim type (all claims, medical-only, lost-time, TTD, PPD, fatal). Data reflects accident years 2021–2022, evaluated at 24 months of development.

Limitation — what “average cost per case” means: The NCCI average is an arithmetic mean across all reported claims in a state. It is not a median, and it is not a prediction of what any individual claim will pay. High-severity outliers (catastrophic injury claims, large fatal death benefits) pull means upward; the high volume of low-cost medical-only claims pulls the all-claims mean downward. The figure most relevant to a worker with a serious injury is the lost-time or PPD average, not the all-claims figure.

Limitation — development period: Claims evaluated at 24 months are not fully closed. Many PPD and PTD claims continue to develop costs for years. NCCI’s “ultimate” cost estimates, developed over longer periods, would typically be higher than the 24-month figures cited here.

Secondary Source: NSC Injury Facts 2024

Full citation: National Safety Council. Injury Facts, 2024 Edition. Itasca, IL: National Safety Council, 2024. Data tables citing NCCI claim cost benchmarks by injury type and cause of injury.

NSC Injury Facts aggregates NCCI national claim cost data by injury type (amputation, fracture, burn, etc.) and by event or exposure (falls, MVA, etc.). These national figures are used in this report for injury-category benchmarking where Arkansas-specific data by injury type is not separately published by NCCI.

Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission (AWCC)

Website: https://www.awcc.state.ar.us/

The AWCC is the state agency responsible for administering Arkansas workers’ compensation law under Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-101 et seq. Benefit rate maximums, procedural rules, and adjudication information cited in this report are sourced from AWCC publications and Arkansas statute. Benefit maximums are subject to annual adjustment; readers should verify current maximums directly with AWCC.

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Disclaimer

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Workers’ compensation law is complex and fact-specific. The data presented in this report reflects aggregate statistical averages and national benchmarks — it is not a prediction of the value of any individual claim. If you have been injured at work in Arkansas, consult a licensed Arkansas workers’ compensation attorney before accepting any settlement. Shane Good is a researcher and writer, not a lawyer. Nothing on WorkCompWiki.com creates an attorney-client relationship.