Foot & Ankle Schedule Loss of Use (SLU) in NY Workers' Comp

Foot is 205 weeks. Ankle injuries are valued as a percentage of the foot or the leg, depending on where the injury sits.

TL;DR

• The foot is scheduled at 205 weeks under WCL §15(3).
• Ankle injuries typically value at the foot level unless the impairment is proximal enough to schedule as a leg injury.
• Achilles repair, ankle fusion, and ORIF of ankle fractures carry minimum SLU values under the 2018 Guidelines.
• Toes have their own per-digit values; great toe is 38 weeks, others 16 each.

The per-body-part schedule

• Leg — 288 weeks
• Foot — 205 weeks
• Great toe — 38 weeks
• Other toes — 16 weeks each

Ankle and Achilles injuries usually schedule at the foot level. Tibial plateau and proximal lower-leg injuries usually schedule at the leg level. The choice can matter — run both calculations on close cases.

How the percentage is calculated

Range of motion. Dorsiflexion, plantar flexion, inversion, and eversion measured against normal benchmarks.

Surgical minimums. The 2018 Guidelines establish minimums for:

• Ankle fusion (arthrodesis) — significant minimum, often the controlling number
• Achilles tendon repair — per the Guidelines table
• ORIF of ankle fracture (bimalleolar, trimalleolar) — minimums
• Subtalar fusion — separate minimum
• Triple arthrodesis — separate minimum
• Ankle replacement — minimum
• Bunion / hallux procedures — minor minimums

Instability. Documented chronic ankle instability adds to the percentage.

Hardware. Persistent hardware adds to the percentage.

Atrophy and gait disturbance. Documented atrophy and antalgic gait support a higher SLU.

What goes wrong

• Fusion minimum ignored. Ankle fusions sometimes get IME’d below the Guidelines minimum.
• ROM measured without proper neutral position. Foot/ankle ROM requires correct starting position; off-axis measurements distort the percentage.
• Toe injuries undervalued. Great toe is 38 weeks — not trivial.
• Achilles tendon ruptures with incomplete return rated too low because of “good” outcome framing.

Common occupational patterns

• FDNY EMS / correction officers / NYCHA — Achilles injuries from stair work and running on uneven surfaces
• Construction — ankle fractures from falls, crush injuries from dropped materials
• Restaurant — slip-and-fall ankle injuries from wet floors
• MTA / sanitation — uneven-surface ankle injuries during route work
• Healthcare — patient-handling foot injuries

What to do next

Contact me directly for foot/ankle SLU evaluation. The SLU Estimator handles shoulder and knee currently; foot is on the roadmap. The IME Red Flag Checker flags common foot/ankle measurement issues.

Frequently asked questions

How is a NY foot SLU calculated?

The foot is scheduled at 205 weeks. SLU percentage × 205 × weekly rate produces the lump sum. Most ankle injuries value at the foot level; proximal lower-leg injuries (tibial plateau) may value at the leg level (288 weeks) — run both calculations on close cases.

What’s the SLU for ankle fusion?

Ankle arthrodesis (fusion) carries one of the larger Guidelines minimums for the foot, often the controlling number in fusion cases regardless of subjective outcome.

Are toe injuries worth SLU?

Yes. The great toe is scheduled at 38 weeks, other toes at 16 each. Even partial loss of use produces a calculable lump sum. Don’t overlook toe injuries — they’re often missed.

Related pages

• Schedule Loss of Use — knee
• Schedule Loss of Use — leg
• Ladder falls
• What is a Schedule Loss of Use award?
• Construction-site injuries