Iowa uses a body-part schedule at two-thirds of wages with one of the nation's highest maximums ($2,162/week PPD): scheduled weeks × your rating; unscheduled injuries run against 500 weeks.
Iowa's schedule per §85.34(2), paid at two-thirds of wages capped at $2,162/week (7/2025–6/2026).
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| PPD weekly maximum (7/2025–6/2026) | $2,162 |
| TTD weekly maximum | $2,350 |
| Schedule (weeks) | Arm 250 · Hand 190 · Leg 220 · Foot 150 · Eye 140 · Shoulder 400 · Whole body 500 |
| Attorney fees | Commissioner approval required (Iowa Code §86.39) |
A comp settlement trades future benefits for a lump sum. Three checks first: does the settlement close your future medical rights (a fair-looking number can be terrible if it does)? Is your impairment rating solid — insurer doctors rate low, and you can usually challenge with an independent exam? And was anyone besides your employer involved — because a third-party claim pays pain and suffering that comp never does.
Iowa uses a body-part schedule at two-thirds of wages with one of the nation's highest maximums ($2,162/week PPD): scheduled weeks × your rating; unscheduled injuries run against 500 weeks. Settlements then negotiate around that formula number — down for present-value and disputed ratings, up when the insurer wants to close future medical exposure.
PPD weekly maximum (7/2025–6/2026): $2,162 · TTD weekly maximum: $2,350 · Schedule (weeks): Arm 250 · Hand 190 · Leg 220 · Foot 150 · Eye 140 · Shoulder 400 · Whole body 500 · Attorney fees: Commissioner approval required (Iowa Code §86.39)
Not your employer, in most cases — comp is the exclusive remedy. But if anyone else contributed to the injury (a negligent driver, a defective machine's manufacturer, a subcontractor), a third-party claim can pay full damages including pain and suffering, alongside the comp claim. That's the most commonly missed money in work-injury cases.
Commissioner approval required (Iowa Code §86.39)