Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Guide 2026
Follow the Kentucky claim path from prompt notice and medical care through TTD, permanent benefits, Form 101, and an Administrative Law Judge.
Report the injury as soon as practicable
KRS 342.185 requires notice to the employer as soon as practicable. Report immediately, identify when, where, and how the injury occurred, and preserve written confirmation, witnesses, photographs, restrictions, and wage records. Kentucky generally requires employers with one or more workers to maintain coverage, including family, temporary, and part-time employees, subject to the Act’s classifications and exclusions.
Use the medical-care pathway that applies
KRS 342.020 generally places reasonable and necessary injury-related medical treatment on the employer. Physician selection can be affected by an approved managed health-care system and designated-physician rules. Give the carrier the required provider information, keep appointments, follow restrictions, and request written decisions if care is disputed.
The Department states that a doctor must take the worker off work or impose restrictions the employer cannot accommodate.
Distinguish temporary, permanent, and medical benefits
TTD is generally 66⅔% of AWW within the injury-year total-disability limits. Permanent partial disability uses an AMA impairment rating and statutory multipliers; permanent total disability uses a separate legal standard. Reasonable injury-related medical care is not part of the weekly wage calculation.
Seven waiting days apply to TTD. Payment starts with the eighth disability day, and disability lasting more than two weeks can make the first seven days payable.
Protect the Form 101 deadline
If a claim is denied or remains unresolved, an injured worker may file an Application for Resolution of Injury Claim (Form 101). Generally, KRS 342.185 requires filing within two years of the accident, or within two years after income-benefit payments stop when that later rule applies. Cumulative trauma, occupational disease, hearing loss, death, and other claim types have distinct rules. Do not rely on informal discussions to preserve a deadline.
Denials and official help
A disputed Form 101 is assigned within Kentucky’s administrative system and may proceed before an Administrative Law Judge. The Department’s Ombudsman/Specialist function can provide procedural information, while legal advice must come from a qualified attorney.
What if the employer has no insurance?
The Department says a worker may report the employer and may name the Uninsured Employers’ Fund in a Form 101 claim.
Is every two-year deadline identical?
No. Payments, cumulative trauma, occupational disease, hearing loss, death, and other facts can change the analysis.
Who controls the medical provider?
Selection rights depend on KRS 342.020 and whether an approved managed-care arrangement applies.