Reviewed against NYS WCB primary sources · Last reviewed August 2026
Injury guide
Workers' comp for a shoulder injury in New York
Rotator cuff tears, labrum tears, and other permanent shoulder injuries are evaluated in New York as a Schedule Loss of Use of the arm — which carries up to 312 weeks of benefits.
Key facts
- The shoulder is evaluated under the arm schedule: 312 weeks for a 100% loss.
- Your award = 312 × your loss-of-use % × your weekly rate.
- At the current maximum rate, a 100% arm loss is worth up to $381,395.
- Surgery and physical therapy are fully covered medical benefits.
How a shoulder award is figured
Once you reach maximum medical improvement, a doctor assigns a loss-of-use percentage for the arm. Multiply that by 312 weeks and by your weekly rate (⅔ of average weekly wage, capped) to estimate the Schedule Loss of Use award — paid whether or not you returned to work.
Example: a 30% loss of use of the arm = 0.30 × 312 = 93.6 weeks. At the current maximum rate that's about $114,419.
What's a settlement worth?A permanent injury like this is usually resolved with a Section 32 settlement. The starting point is the indemnity value (the weeks above × your weekly rate) plus future medical — estimate it with the settlement calculator.
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