A foot injury is, according to the Comp Pinkbook, the eighth most common workers’ compensation injury in Maryland. (The Comp Pinkbook represented a study of over a quarter million comp claims that had some kind of permanency award from the period of 1/1/11 to 6/30/12. The book is for sale at Amazon.com.
The injuries to the feet outside of a work setting are more common than work related. For example, bunions, calluses, heel spurs, ingrown nails, and others are typical foot issues. These are generally not compensable in a workers’ comp setting.
Broken foot, stress fractures, broken toes, and severe heal injuries are among the more common workers’ compensation foot injuries. Of course, not all the same. When we get asked, “How much is my broken foot worth in workers’ compensation?” there are a lot of variables. How bad was the break? What is the healing process expected to be? Are there other injuries involved? Has the foot been injured before? There are many questions involved in any workers’ compensation case involving the feet.
The Averages
Despite the differences in every workers’ comp case, the Pinkbook does provide the averages. Out of a total of 701 awards, the average foot injury was shown to be worth $10,871. However, it makes a big difference as to whether this was a PPD award or a full and final settlement. (See the difference here.) The average PPD award for a foot injury case was shown to be $8,586, with an average impairment rating of 15.65%. However, the average full and final settlement for a comp foot injury was shown to be $17,435. This last number went up to $23,692 if the foot was coupled on the claim form with an ankle injury.
The High Awards
Averages are helpful, but don’t tell the whole story. They don’t tell us much at all if it’s a severe foot injury. The largest comp PPD awards measured by the Pinkbook in foot cases were as follows:
- $89,910 against IWIF (Chesapeake)
- $56,128 against Ace American
- $43,690 against IWIF (Chesapeake)
The largest final settlements (Compromise Orders):
- $250,000 against Farmington Casualty
- $175,000 against Manufacturers Alliance Co. (included ankle)
- $165,000 against the Subsequent Injury Fund
- $150,000 against Farmington Casualty (included ankle)
- $148,000 against IWIF (Chesapeake)
Your Case
The above numbers can help to give you some level of guidance with respect to the value of foot injuries in Maryland workers’ compensation. That said, every case is different and your case is different. Just because one case is worth a given settlement, doesn’t mean another will be the same, even if the case is roughly the same. There are quite a few variables. The calculator can help give you a better idea if you follow the directions completely, but it can’t give you the exact amount in your case. The only way to get the amount of the value in your case is to get your comp lawyer and go through the process.
