We are experienced Illinois work injury attorneys who will talk to you for free. If you would like a case review or just have questions, start a live chat, call us at 312-346-5578 or fill out our contact form. It’s all confidential and a lawyer is usually available right away.
Every year, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission publishes updates to the benefit rates for work comp cases. The rates are tied to the state average weekly wage, so they increase every year. That means that work injuries in 2026 are much more valuable than the same injury that happened ten years ago. This is another reason why you never determine what your case is worth based off what happened to someone else.
TTD Rates For 2026 In Illinois
For 2026, the state average weekly wage is $1,506.49. To determine the temporary total disability rate you get (TTD) for when you can not work, the state sets a maximum amount you can receive. That amount is 133 1/3% of the state average weekly wage.
So for injuries from January 15, 2026 until July 14, 2026, the maximum TTD rate is $2,008.60. The rate will go up for injuries after July 15th. The TTD payments are 2/3 of your individual average weekly wage for the 52 weeks prior to the accident.
In essence, what this mean is that if you make approximately $154,000 a year and get injured at work, you will basically receive the equivalent in take home pay that you would have gotten normally. It’s important to note that this money is tax free. If you make more than that and get hurt at work, you will not be taking home as much as you are used to, but hopefully can make it up with a settlement down the road.
This rate is up almost $75 from January of 2025.
The minimum rate is now $400 per week. It goes up if you have children or a spouse, starting at $460. That means if you make $500 a week, even though 2/3 is $333, you’d get at least $400 and more if you have a spouse or child.
PPD Rates For 2026 In Illinois
Permanent partial disability or PPD is the rate used to calculate your settle. It is 60% of your average weekly wage and also subject to minimums and maximums.
These rates only change once a year in July. It covers accidents from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. That means that any injuries in the first six months are subject to the rates below. Note that these rates do not come in to play until the case is ready to settle.
For the first half of this year, the maximum rate is $1,084.66. The total amount of compensation you will receive for a settlement is based on how high your rate is along with many other factors including the severity of your injury or any defenses the insurance company might have. Higher wage earners will have bigger settlements for similar injuries suffered by lower wage earners. But each can get significant settlements depending on what happened.
Note that if you had an amputation or lost an eye, the PPD rate for those injuries are actually subject to the TTD maximums. The same is true in cases of a death on the job or when a worker is permanently totally disabled. Lawyers who do not know what they are doing will cause their clients to get less than what they deserve. Death benefits are paid for 25 years or $500,000, whichever is greater. There are also cost of living increases in cases of death or permanent disability.
If your injury is after July 1, 2026, check back with us as to what the new rate will be to calculate your settlement. It takes some time for the State to publish it. The rate for 2026 is up around $39 from 2025 and we expect that it will be higher after July 1 for those injuries.
And as always, we are happy to talk to any injured worker, any time, for free.
