Estimate the total workers' compensation death benefit available to surviving dependents after a fatal work injury, plus the burial allowance.
Enter a few details for an instant estimate. Nothing is stored.
When a worker dies from a job-related injury or illness, workers' compensation pays death benefits to the surviving dependents and covers reasonable burial expenses. These benefits help replace the income the family relied on and ease the immediate costs of a funeral.
Two pieces make up the total:
The core benefit goes to those who depended on the worker — typically a spouse and minor children. Many states increase the total as the number of dependents rises, and often pay it out as weekly installments rather than a single lump sum.
On top of the dependent benefit, states pay a burial or funeral allowance up to a set maximum. The representative cap used here is around $10,000, but the actual amount differs from state to state.
States define dependents differently. A surviving spouse and minor children are almost always covered; other relatives may qualify if they relied on the worker financially. This definition can significantly change the benefit.
It's a general, representative estimate. Death-benefit amounts, dependent definitions, and payout structures vary significantly by state. For a precise figure, speak with a workers' comp attorney.
Usually the surviving spouse and minor children, and sometimes other relatives who depended on the worker financially. Each state has its own rules for who qualifies and how the benefit is divided among them.
Often not. Many states pay death benefits as weekly installments based on the worker's wage, sometimes for a set number of weeks or until a child reaches adulthood. The structure varies by state.
Workers' comp pays a burial allowance up to a state-set maximum — represented here as roughly $10,000. The actual cap differs by state and is paid in addition to the dependent benefit.
This calculator provides a general, simplified estimate for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not reflect any specific state's workers' compensation rules. No attorney-client relationship is formed by using this tool.
FirmLift Interactive Tool · Demonstration