In Section 306(c) of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, there is a schedule or list of weekly benefits for certain types of work injuries. These are known as “specific loss” benefits and can be used either as a sword or a shield when a worker has been injured on the job. For example, if a worker has lost his arm in a work injury he is entitled to 410 weeks of wage loss benefits based on a calculation of the average weekly wage. If the worker is able to return to work within 10 weeks, he or she is still entitled to the full amount of the specific loss benefits plus a specific period for healing, in this hypothetical 25 additional weeks. However, if the workers is out of work for more than 410 weeks, the employer/insurance company may argue that the worker is limited to that number of weeks regardless of whether he or she can return to work. Below is a list of specific loss benefits as set forth in Section 306(c) of the Workers’ Compensation Act:
Index finger
50 plus 6 weeks for healing
middle finger
40 plus 6
ring finger
30 plus 6
little finger
28 plus 6
thumb
100 plus 10
hand
335 plus 20
foot
250 plus 25
forearm
370 plus 20
Arm or leg
410 plus 25
Great toe
40 plus 12
all other toes
40 plus 12
eye
275 plus 10
Loss of hearing
Up to 260 plus 10 if 10% or above then % of weeks
One ear
60 plus 10
Disfiqurement of head, neck or face
up to 275
In addition, if it can be shown that a worker has lost any of the above for “all practical intents and purposes” these benefits may be awarded regardless of whether the body part is actually missing.