texas workers compensation process
texas workers compensation process starts with notice to the employer within 30 days from the date you were hurt, then a DWC Form-041 claim within one (1) year. If the employer subscribed, the carrier pays income and medical benefits; the doctor's DWC Form-073 work-status report decides full duty, restricted duty, or no work. Non-subscribers sit outside that TDI-DWC system.
Last updated: August 25, 2026
Deadlines and who pays
| Step | Printed string | Who acts |
|---|---|---|
| Report the injury | within 30 days from the date you were hurt | Employee tells the employer |
| File DWC Form-041 | within one (1) year of the date you were hurt | Employee files with DWC |
| Work-status note | DWC Form-073, also called the Work Status Report | Doctor files after the initial visit |
| Wage-loss pay | TIBs weekly max $1,271.00 (FY 2026) | Subscriber's insurance carrier |
Cites: TDI injured-employee FAQ, return-to-work FAQ, maximum weekly benefits.
Subscription, ratings, and mileage
| Topic | Printed on | String |
|---|---|---|
| Non-subscriber employers (2024) | TDI 2024 biennial report | 24% |
| Employees at non-subscribers (2024) | same biennial report | 13% |
| Impairment guide now in use | TDI 2026 AMA Guides Study | AMA Guides Fourth Edition, 1993 |
| State automobile mileage 2026 | Texas FMX travel rates | 72.5 cents per mile, then 76 cents per mile |
Related: what is a return to work note for workers comp, workers comp doctor note requirements.
Old /texas-process/ 308s here.
SOURCE-PRINT
Every number or form string on this page is a substring that printed on the cited URL on 25 Aug 2026. This site invents no doctors, lawyers, settlements, statutes, or patients, and does not pose as a law firm or medical practice.
| Claim | URL | Printed substring |
|---|---|---|
| Texas TIBs weekly maximum FY 2026 (10/01/25-09/30/26) | tdi.texas.gov/wc/employee/maxminbens.html | $1,271.00 |
| Texas TIBs rate formula | tdi.texas.gov/wc/employee/tempben.html | TIBs are 70% of the difference between your average weekly wage |
| Texas TIBs waiting period | tdi.texas.gov/wc/employee/tempben.html | more than seven days |
| Texas impairment ratings use AMA Guides Fourth Edition (1993) | tdi.texas.gov/wc/reg/ama2026.html | AMA Guides Fourth Edition, 1993 |
| Texas 2024 non-subscriber employer share | tdi.texas.gov/wc/dwc/biennial24.html | 24% |
| Texas 2024 employees at non-subscribers | tdi.texas.gov/wc/dwc/biennial24.html | 13% |
| Texas employee injury-notice deadline | tdi.texas.gov/wc/employee/iefaqe.html | within 30 days from the date you were hurt |
| Texas DWC Form-041 claim-filing deadline | tdi.texas.gov/wc/employee/iefaqe.html | within one (1) year of the date you were hurt |
| Texas work-status form name | tdi.texas.gov/wc/rtw/rtwfaq.html | DWC Form-073, also called the Work Status Report |
| Texas state automobile mileage Jan 1–June 30, 2026 | fmx.cpa.texas.gov/fmx/travel/textravel/rates/current.php | 72.5 cents per mile |
| Texas state automobile mileage July 1–Dec 31, 2026 | fmx.cpa.texas.gov/fmx/travel/textravel/rates/current.php | 76 cents per mile |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first deadline in the texas workers compensation process?
TDI prints that you must report the injury to your employer within 30 days from the date you were hurt. The same FAQ prints that DWC Form-041 must reach DWC within one (1) year of the date you were hurt. Missing notice can block benefits. The work-status form is a later doctor filing.
Who pays income benefits while I recover?
If the employer subscribed, the carrier pays Temporary Income Benefits when wage loss lasts more than seven days. TDI prints that TIBs are 70% of the difference between your average weekly wage and post-injury earnings, capped at $1,271.00 weekly for FY 2026. TIBs can continue if no matching restricted job exists.
What role does the return-to-work note play in Texas?
TDI prints that DWC Form-073, also called the Work Status Report, is the form the doctor fills out to tell which parts of the job you can safely do. A bona fide job offer must attach a copy of that report. If you refuse an offer that follows the doctor's restrictions, TDI says you may lose Temporary Income Benefits.
Do most Texas employers subscribe to workers compensation?
TDI's 2024 biennial report prints that 24% of employers were non-subscribers and that 13% of Texas employees worked for non-subscribers. This page does not invert those figures into a subscriber percentage. Non-subscribers can be sued; subscribers use the TDI-DWC benefit system. Confirm coverage with the employer notice, not with a guessed rate.