Colorado Workers' Comp Benefits: Medical & Lost Wages

Colorado workers' comp covers reasonable and necessary medical care (C.R.S. § 8-42-101) and wage-loss (indemnity) benefits — temporary total, temporary partial, and permanent disability (C.R.S. § 8-42-105). Temporary total disability generally pays two-thirds (66⅔%) of the worker's average weekly wage, subject to a statutory maximum tied to the state average weekly wage. Confirm current rates and caps.

This is general information, not legal advice. Benefit amounts and durations turn on your facts — talk to a Colorado attorney about your specific situation.

Colorado workers’ compensation benefits fall into two main categories: medical and wage-loss (indemnity).

Medical benefits

Workers’ comp covers reasonable and necessary medical care for your work injury (C.R.S. § 8-42-101). This is the treatment needed to address the injury and help you recover.

Wage-loss (indemnity) benefits

If your injury affects your ability to work, you may receive wage-loss benefits (C.R.S. § 8-42-105). These include:

Temporary total disability — when you can’t work at all, temporarily;
Temporary partial disability — when you can work in a limited way at reduced earnings; and
Permanent disability — for lasting effects after recovery.

How wage-replacement is calculated

Temporary total disability generally pays two-thirds (66⅔%) of your average weekly wage, subject to a statutory maximum tied to the state average weekly wage (C.R.S. § 8-42-105). Because the rate and cap are adjusted over time, the exact figures are worth confirming for your current situation.

Next steps

Benefits work alongside the rules in How Workers’ Comp Works and depend on having coverage — and you must act within the claim deadlines. To get matched with a local Colorado workers’-comp attorney, connect with a lawyer.

Frequently asked questions

What does Colorado workers' comp pay for?

Two main things: reasonable and necessary medical care for the work injury (C.R.S. § 8-42-101), and wage-loss (indemnity) benefits for lost earnings (C.R.S. § 8-42-105).

How much of my lost wages does workers' comp replace in Colorado?

Temporary total disability generally pays two-thirds (66⅔%) of your average weekly wage, subject to a statutory maximum tied to the state average weekly wage. The exact rate and cap are worth confirming for your current situation (C.R.S. § 8-42-105).

What types of wage-loss benefits are there?

Indemnity benefits include temporary total, temporary partial, and permanent disability (C.R.S. § 8-42-105).

Related guides

Colorado Workers' Comp Claim Deadlines Colorado sets two key deadlines: notify your employer of the injury in writing within 10 days (C.R.S. § 8-43-102) — late notice can reduce benefits, but not if the employer already knew or there's good cause — and file a claim generally within two years from the injury, extendable to three years for a reasonable excuse without prejudice to the employer (C.R.S. § 8-43-103). Some occupational diseases get longer.

Colorado Workers' Comp Coverage Requirements Colorado requires workers' comp coverage for essentially all employers with one or more employees — full-time, part-time, or family. The duty to carry insurance is in C.R.S. § 8-44-101, and anyone paid for work is presumed an employee, with bona fide independent contractors the main exception. This is stricter than states that exempt small employers.

How Colorado Workers' Compensation Works Colorado's Workers' Compensation Act (C.R.S. § 8-40-101 et seq.) is a no-fault system: covered employees get medical and wage-loss benefits for work injuries regardless of fault. In exchange, workers' comp is the exclusive remedy against a complying employer — C.R.S. § 8-41-102 abolishes other causes of action against a compliant employer for covered injuries.

Colorado Workers' Comp Benefits