If a job injury leaves you with lasting limits after you have recovered as much as you will, California permanent disability benefits are meant to compensate you for them. Abramson Labor Group represents injured workers, never employers, in workers’ compensation claims, including disputes over permanent disability ratings. Our case reviews are free and confidential, and we work on contingency.
According to the Division of Workers’ Compensation, “permanent disability (PD) is any lasting disability that results in a reduced earning capacity.” PD does not require that you be unable to work at all. A partial, lasting impairment can qualify.
PD comes into play when your condition has become “permanent and stationary (P&S),” which doctors may also call maximal medical improvement (MMI). Until then, you may be receiving temporary disability. The DWC says “the claims administrator must begin paying your PD payments within 14 days after TD ends.”
Your PD rating drives the value of your benefits. The DWC explains that “the PD rating is used in a formula that determines the benefits you’ll receive.”
| Rating factor | What it means |
|---|---|
| Impairment | “How your injury affects your ability to do normal life activities” (DWC) |
| Occupation | Your occupation at the time of the injury |
| Age | Your age at the time of the injury |
| Future earning capacity | How the injury affects your ability to earn in the future |
| Apportionment | Any percentage of the disability assigned to causes other than the work injury |
Under Labor Code section 4663, “apportionment of permanent disability shall be based on causation.” The doctor’s report must address “what approximate percentage of the permanent disability was caused by the direct result of injury” and what was “caused by other factors both before and subsequent to the industrial injury.” A poorly supported apportionment finding can significantly lower an award.
Under Labor Code section 4659, a rating of at least 70 percent but less than 100 percent can add a life pension after the regular PD payments end. If the permanent disability is total, payments “shall be paid during the remainder of life.”
For a look at payment amounts, read how much workers’ comp pays in California.
Because the rating sets the value of the claim, this is where many disputes happen.
Medical disputes in workers’ comp often go through a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME). The DWC says “you have 10 days from the date the list is printed and mailed to select a QME from the list,” so timing matters. A workers’ compensation attorney can evaluate whether your rating reflects the full extent of your injury. If your claim was denied or delayed, see that page.
If you cannot return to your old job, you may also qualify for return to work and job displacement benefits. Our workers’ comp benefits overview covers every benefit in one place, and our article on workers’ comp and disability explains how other disability protections can overlap. For serious head injuries, see traumatic brain injury and workers’ comp. If a work injury causes death, the employer is liable for a death benefit to the worker’s dependents (Labor Code section 4701), explained on our workers’ comp death benefits page.
Being punished for reporting a work injury can be a separate legal claim. See our article on whether you can be fired for filing workers’ comp in California, and our workplace injuries page.
We represent injured workers in Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, and across Los Angeles County, and statewide through our California employment lawyers.
We work on contingency, so you do not pay anything unless we win. The case evaluation is free. The DWC notes that “your attorney can’t directly charge you for his or her services” (DWC). Learn more about how contingency fees work.
Generally, yes. PD is based on a lasting disability that reduces earning capacity, not on whether you can work at all (DWC).
The DWC defines it this way: “Assigning a percentage of your disability to factors other than your work injury is called apportionment.” It can reduce your PD award (Labor Code section 4663).
Our California workers’ compensation FAQ answers common questions about claim forms, deadlines, and delays.
Before you accept a permanent disability rating, we can review whether it reflects the full extent of your injury and explain your options. Request your free case evaluation, contact us, or call us at (213) 493-6300.
You do not pay ANYTHING unless we win!
Last updated: October 2026
This page is general information about California law, not legal advice. Every situation is different. For advice about your specific case, talk to a licensed California workers’ compensation attorney.
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