If you have a permanent low back injury from work, you may be entitled to a one-time Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) payment. This tool walks you through questions about your injury to estimate your rating and dollar amount under Minnesota's schedule.
- • Have your MRI report handy — you can find it on your clinic's patient portal
- • We'll walk you through it step by step
- • The dollar amount depends on your date of injury and your rating percentage
Rates verified through 2025-10-01. Reviewed by Dan Swenson, Minnesota workers' comp attorney.
Rates verified through: 2025-10-01
Estimate Your Permanent Back Injury Payment
Answer questions about your lower back injury and we'll estimate your PPD rating and payment under Minnesota law.
Your date of injury determines which PPD dollar schedule applies to your rating.
This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Results are estimates based on Minnesota workers' compensation law as of the rates shown. Consult a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation.
How permanent disability ratings work
After you've healed as much as you're going to (your doctor calls this “maximum medical improvement”), you may have a permanent impairment. Minnesota uses a schedule that looks at your symptoms, what your MRI shows, and what surgeries you've had to assign a percentage rating. That percentage gets multiplied by a dollar amount that depends on when you were injured. Higher ratings and more recent injuries generally mean larger payments.