How Much Is My Utah Workers' Comp Case Worth?

If you have been hurt at work in Utah, the first question is almost always: how much is my case actually worth? The honest answer is that case value is the sum of four separate buckets — and each one has its own formula in Utah Code Title 34A.

This post walks through each bucket with worked examples. By the end, you should be able to rough out your own case on the back of an envelope. (Or let the CVR Quick Calculator do the math.)

The 4 buckets of a Utah workers' comp case

Your total case value is the sum of all four. Let's break each one down.

1. TTD — Temporary Total Disability

If your doctor takes you off work entirely while you heal, you get 66.67% of your Average Weekly Wage (AWW). There's a cap: for injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, the Utah maximum TTD rate is $1,376/week, and the minimum is $45/week (official Labor Commission payment grid).

Quick example: If you earned $1,200/week before the injury and you're off work for 12 weeks:

• Weekly TTD: $1,200 × 0.6667 = $800/week
• Total TTD over 12 weeks: $9,600

2. PPD — Permanent Partial Disability

Once your doctor says you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) — meaning you're as healed as you're going to get — they assign an impairment rating (a percentage of permanent loss). That rating drives your PPD.

The Utah PPD formula is:

PPD = Impairment % × 312 weeks × your TTD rate

PPD uses the same weekly rate as TTD, but with its own cap: $917/week for injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (official payment grid).

Quick example: Same $1,200/week worker, with a 10% whole-person impairment rating after a back injury:

• 10% × 312 weeks = 31.2 weeks of PPD
• 31.2 × $800 = $24,960 in PPD

PPD is paid out weekly, the same as TTD, until it's exhausted. A higher rating raises PPD in direct proportion: each percentage point adds 3.12 weeks.

3. Medical expenses

Utah workers' comp pays 100% of reasonable and necessary medical care: doctor visits, surgery, hospital stays, MRI/CT scans, prescriptions, physical therapy, prosthetics. No deductible, no co-pay, no out-of-pocket.

For settlement purposes, the estimate of future medical care matters: surgery, therapy or medication your doctor expects you to need adds to your case value. Ask your doctor to put that plan in writing.

4. Travel reimbursement (mileage)

Often overlooked. Utah reimburses every trip to a workers' comp medical appointment at the per-mile rate on the Labor Commission's payment grid ($0.715 per mile for injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027), plus parking. Long drives to specialists add up, so log every trip.

Putting it all together: a worked example

Here is a hypothetical case for the same $1,200/week worker. It shows how the buckets stack; your numbers will differ.

At a 20% rating, the PPD line doubles to $49,920 (20% × 312 weeks × $800); the other lines stay the same.

What about pain and suffering?

Unlike personal injury cases, Utah workers' comp does NOT pay for pain and suffering. The trade-off is that you don't have to prove fault — you can be 100% at fault for the accident and still get TTD, PPD, medical, and travel. That's the historic compromise of the workers' comp system.

Things that lower your case value

• Late reporting — fail to notify your employer within 180 days and the case can be denied entirely.
• Inconsistent treatment — gaps in medical care signal you're not really hurt.
• Social media posts — adjusters monitor Facebook and Instagram looking for evidence that contradicts your injury.
• Pre-existing conditions — they can apportion part of your impairment to the prior condition, lowering PPD.
• Returning to work too soon — cuts off TTD payments early.

The fastest way to know what your case is worth

Plug your numbers into the CVR Quick Calculator. It uses the same Utah Code formulas above and the current 2026 Labor Commission rates. You get an estimate in minutes. No signup, no credit card.

If the insurer disputes your claim, or its offer is well below your estimate, talk to a Utah workers' comp attorney. Utah caps attorney fees at 25%, paid only if you win. Browse our directory of Utah workers' comp attorneys.

This article is general information about Utah workers' compensation, not legal advice. Dollar amounts are estimates based on published Utah rates. For advice about your own case, talk to a licensed Utah workers' comp attorney.