Impairment Ratings

Impairment is “a significant deviation, loss, or loss of use of any body structure or function in an   individual with a health condition, disorder, or disease”. Medical Impairment ratings are used to   assess the degree of damage that resulted from work-related injury or occupational disease.  Impairment differs from the concept of disability, which is “an umbrella term for activity limitations   and/or participation restrictions in an individual with a health condition, disorder, or disease. “Impairment rating evaluation refers to the “acquisition, recording, and reporting of medical   evidence, using a standard method such as described in the 6If an injury permanently impairs your   physical condition and/or mental health condition in any way, no matter how minimal, then you have   permanent impairment.

When Is Permanent Disability Determined?

Once your medical condition has reached a stationary level, at which there is no further treatment available that will improve your condition, your doctor may assess whether you have any permanent disability. This stage is commonly referred to as “maximum medical improvement.” This does not mean the point at which your condition will never improve; it simply means the point at which your condition is stationary and will not improve other than with the passage of time.How Is a Permanent Disability Rating Determined?

Your doctor, or a doctor who handles workers’ compensation cases, will assess your condition through a physical examination to determine the severity of your permanent impairment. While the physician who has been treating you for your workers’ compensation claim may evaluate your permanent disability, some treating physicians refuse to evaluate permanent disability, and instead ask that an independent medical examiner experienced in permanent disability ratings rate your permanent impairment.

In addition, in many states, your employer (or its insurance company) is allowed to request an independent medical examination for the purposes of assessing permanent disability. The doctor will assess your condition by performing certain tests to determine the level of your impairment. For example, if you have a permanent problem with your shoulder, your doctor will likely perform tests to determine your reduction in range of motion. The tests are non-invasive.

Based upon the results of the tests and the overall physical and/or mental examination, the doctor will use the required guidelines to determine the degree of your permanent disability. These can be referred to in percentages, such as 15% permanent disability of the right shoulder, or degrees or categories. Each injured body part is given a separate disability rating based on the severity of the injury.