Whole Person Impairment (WPI) Compensation Calculator and Guide

When an Australian worker suffers an injury at their occupation so severe, it causes permanent loss or damage to their physical or psychological health, they’re entitled to a special type of workers compensation for whole person impairment (WPI). This is separate from other types of damages, like loss of income, medical costs, and other expenses that they’re qualified to claim.

Understanding how much WPI compensation you qualify for to cover your injury’s impact on your life and wellbeing can be tricky, which is why we created this guide. In it, you’ll discover a WPI calculator, and we’ll also answer all your most important questions on the topic of whole person impairment, including: 

• What is it?
• What is a WPI payment in relation to workers compensation?
• What types of injuries can cause permanent impairment?
• How is whole person impairment calculated?
• How do you make a whole person impairment claim?
• When do you qualify to make a claim?
• Why is it important to engage a lawyer?

What Is Whole Person Impairment (WPI)?

Whole person impairment is a measurement of the amount of permanent damage a worker suffered from an injury at their workplace. This measurement, which is expressed as a percentage, is an important factor in determining how much lump sum compensation you’ll receive when you’ve become permanently impaired because of an injury.

What Is a WPI Payment in Relation To Workers Compensation?

Whenever an employee is injured at work, and that injury causes some form of permanent damage, they can file for a WPI payment as part of their workers compensation claim. The WPI payment is paid out as a lump sum and helps compensate the employee for the injury’s impact on their life.

What Types of Injuries Can Cause Permanent Impairment?

These are common types of injuries which can result in permanent impairment of either a part of the body or the whole body.

• Broken, fractured, dislocated, or bulging vertebrae or spinal discs
• Spinal cord injury or some other type of nerve damage
• Concussion or another type of brain injury
• Broken, smashed, or lost digit, limb, or joint (especially the fingers, hips, knees, and feet)
• Eye and ear injuries that result in partial or full blindness and deafness

How Is Whole Person Impairment Calculated?

When you wish to claim WPI, you must first get your injury assessed by a doctor. During the assessment, the doctor will factor in the severity of your injury and its impact on your life. Afterwards, they’ll assign you a WPI score for your level of impairment as a percentage. That score will determine how much (if any) compensation you’re entitled to receive.

A score of 100% means you’re totally impaired and qualify for the highest amount of WPI compensation allowed. Whereas a score of 0% means you’re not permanently impaired at all and will likely receive $0 in WPI compensation. Most injured workers fall somewhere in between.

Below is a calculator which shows how much compensation is due to someone who works in NSW based on where they fall on the WPI impairment scale. 

Whole Person Impairment (WPI) Scale NSW	Compensation Due To Worker (as a range)
0%-10%	$0
11%-20%	$27,790-$60,460
21%-30%	$64,090-$96,760
31%-40%	$102,690-$156,510
41%-50%	$162,490-$216,310
51%-60%	$299,300-$382,170
61%-70%	$465,040-$547,910
71%-74%	$630,770
75%-100%	$713,660

Source: SIRA Workers Compensation Benefits Guide – April 2024

How Do I Make a Whole Person Impairment Claim?

To make a whole person impairment claim, follow these steps. 

• Contact an experienced whole person impairment lawyer and engage their services. They will refer you to a medical specialist called a permanent impairment assessor who has received training to make WPI assessments. 
• Get your injuries assessed by the medical specialist.
• Let your lawyer know your WPI score. If it’s above 11% for a physical injury or 15% for a psychological issue, you’ll have the basis for a successful claim.
• Work with your lawyer to file the whole person impairment claim with your workers compensation insurer.

When Do I Qualify To Make a Claim?

One important thing we haven’t covered yet is when exactly you can qualify to make a WPI claim. In most cases, you can’t do it right after you’ve suffered an injury, like you can for a regular workers compensation claim. Instead, you have to wait until you reach something called MMI.

What Is MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement)?

MMI stands for maximum medical improvement. This term refers to when a doctor determines that the worker’s injury, be it physical or psychological, will likely not improve over the course of the following 12 months. 

That’s why it’s important to wait until your injury is no longer showing signs of getting better before you start the whole person impairment assessment process. The doctor that your lawyer refers you to will be able to determine if you’ve reached MMI. If you have, then they can give you a WPI score, which will assist your lawyer in determining how much compensation you can claim.

Why Is it Important To Engage a Lawyer?

Navigating whole person impairment claims is extremely stressful, especially when you’re hindered by injuries. It’s even worse when you decide to go it alone. 

Therefore, instead of trying to make your claim yourself, we recommend you engage a lawyer – specifically, a lawyer with expertise in WPI and workers compensation claims, who will help you find a SIRA-approved doctor. Based on the doctor’s assessment, they’ll determine if you have a case. After that, they’ll help you file a claim for the right amount of money and guide you smoothly through the thorny maze of legalese that follows.

Don’t let the stress of filing a WPI claim take even more of a toll on your physical and mental health. Instead, hire an expert lawyer to be your advisor and advocate, so you can win the maximum compensation you deserve from your insurer.

Contact LHD Lawyers Today

Contact LHD Lawyers today to ensure you receive the maximum compensation for your workplace injury through our expert guidance on whole person impairment (WPI) claims; our experienced team will help you navigate the complexities, from medical assessments to filing claims, so you can focus on your recovery while we handle the rest.