One of the first questions injured workers ask is: what exactly am I entitled to? The answer depends on the nature and severity of your injury, whether your claim is accepted, and how Missouri workers' compensation law applies to your specific situation. But the full range of benefits available under Missouri's system is broader than most people realize.
Missouri workers' compensation is a no-fault system. You do not need to prove that your employer was negligent to receive benefits — only that you were injured while performing your job duties and that the injury arose out of and in the course of your employment. Under RSMo Chapter 287, employers with five or more employees are required to carry workers' compensation insurance. The construction industry must carry it regardless of headcount.
Here is a complete breakdown of what Missouri workers' compensation can cover. If you have questions about whether you qualify for specific benefits or whether your claim has been handled fairly, contact Bur Oak Legal for a free consultation.
The Full Range of Workers' Comp Benefits in Missouri
Medical Benefits
Workers' compensation covers all reasonable and necessary medical treatment for your work-related injury. This includes emergency room visits and hospitalization, surgery, follow-up appointments, physical and occupational therapy, prescription medications, medical equipment (braces, crutches, wheelchairs), and mileage reimbursement for travel to and from medical appointments. Your employer and their insurer have the right to select your authorized treating physician (ATP) — you must treat with that doctor for expenses to be covered. Unauthorized treatment is generally not reimbursed. If you disagree with your doctor's findings, that can be challenged through the claims process.
Temporary Total Disability (TTD)
If your injury keeps you completely off work while you recover, you receive temporary total disability (TTD) benefits. TTD pays two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a statewide maximum set annually by the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. TTD begins after a three-day waiting period and continues until you return to work or your authorized treating physician determines you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) — the point at which your condition has stabilized. There is no strict limit on how long TTD can last; it continues as long as you remain temporarily and totally disabled.
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD)
If you return to work in a modified capacity — lighter duties, fewer hours, or a different job — and your earnings are lower than before your injury, you may receive temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits. TPD bridges the gap between your pre-injury wage and what you are currently earning, paid at two-thirds of the difference. TPD ends when you return to your pre-injury earning capacity or reach MMI.
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD)
When your injury causes lasting impairment even after maximum medical improvement, you are entitled to permanent partial disability (PPD) compensation. A rating physician assigns a percentage of disability to the affected body part or to the body as a whole. That percentage is applied against the number of weeks Missouri law assigns to that body part under the schedule of injuries in RSMo § 287.190. Your average weekly wage is then factored in to calculate the total dollar value. Different body parts have different statutory values — an arm is worth a different number of weeks than a knee or a hand — so the amount varies significantly from case to case.
Permanent Total Disability (PTD)
If your work injury leaves you so severely impaired that you cannot return to any form of gainful employment, you may qualify for permanent total disability (PTD) benefits. PTD pays a weekly benefit for the rest of your life. Cases involving spinal cord injuries, severe traumatic brain injuries, amputation, or loss of multiple senses often qualify. The standard is not that you cannot return to your old job — it is that you cannot perform any work available in the open labor market that you are reasonably suited for by age, education, and experience.
Vocational Rehabilitation
If your injury prevents you from returning to your previous occupation but you can perform other work with retraining, vocational rehabilitation may be available. This can include job placement assistance, retraining programs, and education. Vocational rehabilitation is provided through the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation and can help injured workers transition into new careers when their work-related injury rules out their previous field.
Death Benefits
If a worker dies as a result of a work-related injury or occupational disease, Missouri workers' compensation provides death benefits to surviving dependents. Dependents may receive weekly compensation payments equal to a percentage of the deceased worker's average weekly wage, subject to Missouri's statutory limits. The surviving spouse, children, and other dependents who relied on the worker's income may all be entitled to benefits. Funeral and burial expenses are also covered up to a statutory maximum under RSMo § 287.240.
How Benefits Are Calculated: What Determines Your Amount
Three factors drive workers' comp benefit amounts in Missouri: your average weekly wage before the injury, the nature and severity of your injury, and how your injury is classified under Missouri's workers' comp schedule.
Your average weekly wage (AWW) is typically calculated based on the 13 weeks of wages you earned prior to your injury. If you worked for multiple employers, if you worked overtime, or if you were paid irregularly, the AWW calculation can become complicated — and the insurer's calculation is not always correct. If your AWW is understated, every benefit payment will be lower than it should be.
For permanent partial disability, the rated body part matters enormously. Missouri law assigns a specific number of weeks to each body part — a hand, an arm, an eye, a knee, a foot. The rating physician's percentage is applied against that number of weeks at your weekly benefit rate. For unscheduled injuries — those affecting the body as a whole, such as back injuries — the calculation is based on a percentage of the total body disability rather than a specific body part.
If a permanent partial disability combines with a pre-existing disability, the Missouri Second Injury Fund may provide additional compensation for the combined effect of both conditions on your ability to work. This is a complex area of workers' comp law that an experienced attorney can help you navigate.
Not sure what your claim is worth? Let's find out.
Before entering private practice, Chris Miller worked inside the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation. He understands how benefits are calculated, where insurers cut corners, and how to make sure injured workers receive what the law actually entitles them to. Free consultation — no fee unless we win.
Talk to Chris Miller →Benefits Injured Workers Often Miss
Many injured workers receive some benefits — medical coverage and TTD — without realizing they may also be entitled to permanent disability compensation or Second Injury Fund benefits. Others accept a quick settlement without getting an independent medical evaluation, which means they never have a true picture of the lasting impact of their injury.
A few specific benefits that go unclaimed more often than they should:
- Mileage reimbursement for travel to and from medical appointments. Keep a log of every trip from the first day.
- Wage differential if you return to a lower-paying job because your injury prevents you from doing your old work — this can support a permanent partial disability claim.
- Second Injury Fund benefits if you had a pre-existing disability that combines with your new injury to create a greater total impairment.
- PPD compensation even if you fully return to work — permanent partial disability is based on the rating of your injury, not whether you are working.
To understand the full scope of benefits you may be entitled to, and to make sure the insurer is not shortchanging you, read our guides on how to file a workers' comp claim and the full claims process in Missouri. And if you have any doubt about your claim, talk to an attorney before you settle. Once you sign a final settlement, you cannot go back.