Are there caps on workplace damages in New Zealand?

Yes — New Zealand applies the following caps that bear on workplace claims: Permanent impairment lump sum cap; Weekly compensation. See the caps section on this page for the figures and the conditions under which each applies.

How long does a New Zealand workplace case take to resolve?

Soft-tissue presentations commonly resolve within 6 to 12 months from medical stability. Complex cases with surgery or contested liability routinely take 18 to 36 months. Cases that proceed to trial commonly take 2 to 5 years. The procedural pathway on this page sets out the typical milestones in New Zealand.

Is settlement preferable to trial for a workplace claim in New Zealand?

For most New Zealand workplace claimants, yes. The vast majority of personal-injury cases settle before trial. Settlement provides certainty, removes appeal risk, and resolves faster. Trial is appropriate where liability is genuinely contested or where the defendant's insurer is unrealistic about quantum given the published authority.

★ New Zealand · workplace

Workplace claim values
in New Zealand.

By MyClaimWorth EditorialReviewed by Abd Shanti, FounderPublished 9 May 2026Updated 26 October 20269 min read

Workers’-compensation and employer-liability claims. Bands on this page show typical settlement values for workplace cases across the relevant severity tiers; each names its source or is marked as a MyClaimWorth estimate. The position within a band depends on facts the page can't see: severity, prognosis, recovery time, the strength of medical evidence, and any percentage of fault attributed to the claimant under New Zealand's comparative-fault rule.

★ typical band · NZ

ACC weekly compensation and lump sum, no right to sue

Workplace injury (ACC)

The Accident Compensation scheme bars personal-injury litigation entirely; entitlements are statutory.

★ statute of limitations

Time limits for claim and review actions vary by entitlement

Accident Compensation Act 2001

Claims for cover should be lodged as soon as practicable. Reviews of decisions must be lodged within 3 months. Common-law residual claims follow Limitation Act 2010.

★ fault allocation

No-fault, fault is not a relevant consideration for cover

ACC pays regardless of fault. Outside ACC scope (rare), Limitation Act 2010 contributory-negligence rules apply to surviving common-law claims.

★ caps that bear on this injury

What caps recovery.

Statutory caps and ceilings that apply to workplace damages in New Zealand.

Permanent impairment lump sum cap
ACC cover
Maximum lump sum ~NZ$182,484 (2024) for 80% impairment+
Lump sums payable for 10%+ whole-person impairment; bands published annually by ACC.
Weekly compensation
ACC earners with lost income
80% of pre-injury earnings, capped at maximum weekly earnings figure (~NZ$2,500/wk in 2024)
Tax applies to weekly compensation as it would to wages.

★ NZ · procedural pathway

From injury to settlement.

The steps a workplace claim moves through under New Zealand law, from medical stability to settlement.

1
Lodge ACC claim
A treating medical practitioner lodges the claim. Most personal-injury claims are accepted automatically.
2
Cover decision
ACC determines whether the injury falls within cover. Treatment is generally provided pending the decision.
3
Entitlements
Once cover is confirmed, ACC processes weekly compensation, treatment, rehabilitation, and lump-sum entitlements as they accrue.
4
Review
Claimant can seek a review of any ACC decision within 3 months. Reviews are heard by an independent reviewer.
5
Appeal
A review decision can be appealed to the District Court. Further appeals to High Court and beyond on points of law.

★ workplace bands · all 15 jurisdictions

Compare to other countries.

How this injury values across the other jurisdictions on the site. Click any country to read the deeper context.

★ NZ · workplace · frequently asked

Common questions.

Each answer stands on its own and draws on the documents named on this page.

How much is a workplace claim worth in New Zealand?
The band table on this page shows workplace values in New Zealand by severity. The most severe matching band is ACC weekly compensation and lump sum, no right to sue, The Accident Compensation scheme bars personal-injury litigation entirely; entitlements are statutory.. The exact figure within the band depends on severity, prognosis, recovery time, the medical paper trail, and any percentage of fault attributed to the claimant under New Zealand's comparative-fault rule.
What is the statute of limitations for workplace claims in New Zealand?
Time limits for claim and review actions vary by entitlement. Source: Accident Compensation Act 2001. Claims for cover should be lodged as soon as practicable. Reviews of decisions must be lodged within 3 months. Common-law residual claims follow Limitation Act 2010.
Does fault allocation reduce a workplace settlement in New Zealand?
ACC pays regardless of fault. Outside ACC scope (rare), Limitation Act 2010 contributory-negligence rules apply to surviving common-law claims. Reductions are calculated as a percentage of the total damages award before any cap is applied.
Are there caps on workplace damages in New Zealand?
Yes — New Zealand applies the following caps that bear on workplace claims: Permanent impairment lump sum cap; Weekly compensation. See the caps section on this page for the figures and the conditions under which each applies.
How long does a New Zealand workplace case take to resolve?
Soft-tissue presentations commonly resolve within 6 to 12 months from medical stability. Complex cases with surgery or contested liability routinely take 18 to 36 months. Cases that proceed to trial commonly take 2 to 5 years. The procedural pathway on this page sets out the typical milestones in New Zealand.
Is settlement preferable to trial for a workplace claim in New Zealand?
For most New Zealand workplace claimants, yes. The vast majority of personal-injury cases settle before trial. Settlement provides certainty, removes appeal risk, and resolves faster. Trial is appropriate where liability is genuinely contested or where the defendant's insurer is unrealistic about quantum given the published authority.

★ all of NZ

Back to New Zealand

All injury bands, statutes, caps, and procedural pathway for New Zealand.

★ all 15 countries

Workplace · everywhere

Cross-jurisdiction comparison of workplace bands.

★ the working

How we derive bands

Per-jurisdiction methodology, estimates, and known limits.

★ editorial note

Numbers on this page are starting points, not quotes for any specific case. For representation, consult a solicitor or attorney qualified in New Zealand. See /methodology for how each band is derived, /sources for the standing authority list, and /disclaimer for the scope statement.

Jurisdiction	Band	Basis
United States	Scheduled statutory benefits, no pain-and-suffering awardState workers-compensation schedules; value tracks the impairment rating, the wage rate and future medical, and most claims close by compromise-and-release rather than verdict.	State workers-compensation schedules; value tracks the impairment rating, the wage rate and future medical, and most claims close by compromise-and-release rather than verdict.
United Kingdom	Valued on the JC Guidelines bracket for the underlying injuryEmployer-liability claims carry no separate tariff, the injury bracket governs, applied as in any negligence claim.	Employer-liability claims carry no separate tariff, the injury bracket governs, applied as in any negligence claim.
Ireland	Valued on the Personal Injuries Guidelines bracketAssessed by the Injuries Resolution Board under the Personal Injuries Guidelines (2021), which replaced the Book of Quantum.	Assessed by the Injuries Resolution Board under the Personal Injuries Guidelines (2021), which replaced the Book of Quantum.
Canada	Statutory no-fault benefits, no general-damages awardProvincial workers-compensation boards pay wage-loss and permanent-impairment benefits; in exchange workers are barred from suing the employer.	Provincial workers-compensation boards pay wage-loss and permanent-impairment benefits; in exchange workers are barred from suing the employer.
Australia	Statutory lump sum by whole-person impairmentEach state scheme sets its own WPI threshold for access to common-law damages; below the threshold only statutory benefits are payable.	Each state scheme sets its own WPI threshold for access to common-law damages; below the threshold only statutory benefits are payable.
Spain	Social Security incapacity benefit, plus baremo award on any civil claimOccupational contingencies are covered by Social Security; the baremo scale governs any civil claim beyond it.	Occupational contingencies are covered by Social Security; the baremo scale governs any civil claim beyond it.
Italy	INAIL indemnity by impairment percentageCompulsory INAIL cover indemnifies occupational injury; a civil action against the employer requires fault beyond the insured risk.	Compulsory INAIL cover indemnifies occupational injury; a civil action against the employer requires fault beyond the insured risk.
Germany	Statutory accident-insurance benefits, no Schmerzensgeld from the employerDGUV cover replaces employer liability; Schmerzensgeld lies only where the employer acted intentionally (SGB VII paras 104-105).	DGUV cover replaces employer liability; Schmerzensgeld lies only where the employer acted intentionally (SGB VII paras 104-105).
France	CPAM benefits; enhanced award only on faute inexcusableOccupational accidents are compensated through the CPAM scheme; full tort damages require proof of the employer faute inexcusable.	Occupational accidents are compensated through the CPAM scheme; full tort damages require proof of the employer faute inexcusable.
New Zealand· you are here	ACC weekly compensation and lump sum, no right to sueThe Accident Compensation scheme bars personal-injury litigation entirely; entitlements are statutory.	The Accident Compensation scheme bars personal-injury litigation entirely; entitlements are statutory.
Singapore	Statutory ceilings for death and permanent incapacityWork Injury Compensation Act as amended 2020, a no-fault route with statutory limits, or a common-law claim instead, but not both.	Work Injury Compensation Act as amended 2020, a no-fault route with statutory limits, or a common-law claim instead, but not both.
Hong Kong	ECO statutory compensation by age and incapacityEmployees Compensation Ordinance (Cap. 282), no-fault statutory compensation; a common-law negligence claim may run in addition.	Employees Compensation Ordinance (Cap. 282), no-fault statutory compensation; a common-law negligence claim may run in addition.
Japan	Workers-accident-compensation benefit by disability gradeRosai labour-standards insurance pays by disability grade; a separate civil claim requires proof of a safety-duty breach.	Rosai labour-standards insurance pays by disability grade; a separate civil claim requires proof of a safety-duty breach.
South Korea	IACI benefit by disability gradeIndustrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, statutory benefit by grade; civil damages require employer fault.	Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, statutory benefit by grade; civil damages require employer fault.
Taiwan	Labour-insurance disability benefit by gradeOccupational Accident Labour Protection framework; employer civil liability runs in parallel with the insurance benefit.	Occupational Accident Labour Protection framework; employer civil liability runs in parallel with the insurance benefit.

Workplace claim valuesin New Zealand.

Workplace claim values
in New Zealand.