“Herniated disc” is the diagnosis; radiculopathy is the money. The 2005 schedule prices lumbar and cervical herniations through the DRE categories, and the entire gap between a modest case and a serious one usually comes down to one question: does the nerve-root irritation verifiably radiate? Figures computed by the engine.
The DRE ladder, in plain terms
DRE II (commonly 5–8% WPI): documented herniation, guarding or asymmetric motion, but no verifiable radiculopathy. DRE III (10–13% WPI): the herniation plus the radicular syndrome — sciatica down the leg for lumbar discs, arm symptoms for C5-C6/C6-C7 — verified by dermatomal findings or electrodiagnostics. DRE IV–V (20%+): loss of motion-segment integrity or fusion, which is the fusion guide’s territory.
The money table
Final PD and total indemnity at age 37–41, 2026 injury, maximum PD rate, before apportionment:
| WPI | Clerical · 111 | Custodian · 340 | Carpenter · 380 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 5% · $4,350 | 8% · $6,960 | 10% · $8,772.50 |
| 8% | 7% · $6,090 | 13% · $12,252.50 | 14% · $13,412.50 |
| 10% | 10% · $8,772.50 | 16% · $16,095 | 18% · $18,995 |
| 13% | 13% · $12,252.50 | 20% · $21,895 | 22% · $24,795 |
| 20% | 21% · $23,345 | 31% · $40,020 | 34% · $46,110 |
Read the jump: the same worker’s case nearly doubles between DRE II’s top and DRE III’s top — which is why the defense reads the radiculopathy findings harder than any other page of the report.
The MRI-vs-findings fight
An MRI showing a bulge or herniation proves anatomy, not disability — degenerative findings are common in pain-free spines, and the defense knows it. The rating turns on clinical corroboration: dermatomal distribution, reflex and strength asymmetry, positive straight-leg raise, EMG/NCV where ordered. That is also where §4663 apportionment lives — degeneration is the standard theme — and where a well-documented treating record beats a well-argued brief. Gradual-onset disc cases plead as cumulative trauma.
What this table can’t tell you
Wages below the maximum scale the dollars down, epidural and surgical exposure belong in the medical award, bilateral or multi-level cases combine on the CVC, and injections-to-surgery progressions can reopen within the §5410 window. Companion pages: back · knee · shoulder · neck · hip · wrist · ankle · elbow · foot · hand · carpal tunnel · hearing · eye · amputation · fusion · knee replacement · rotator cuff · hip replacement · hernia · head injury · lungs · heart. Estimates for informational use; not legal or medical advice.
Rate your spine right here
Same engine as the tables above — pick your occupation and age, slide the WPI from the report, and carry it into the full calculator when you’re ready.