What is an impairment rating and how often is someone going to be able to be rated?
A – An impairment rating is a medical determination that describes the extent to which an individual’s organs and body functions do not work. The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment is the standard which the Act requires DOL to use for determining the level of impairment. When DOL determines the percent of whole person impairment assigned to an individual due to any accepted illness, it will award a payment of $2500 for each percent of impairment. An impairment rating can be made at the point at which a medical determination is reached that a person’s medical condition is well stabilized and will not improve through treatment. However, if there is probative medical evidence that the employee’s medical condition is in the terminal stages, an impairment rating can be determined even if the employee’s impairment is not well stabilized. A person can file a request with DOL to be re-evaluated every two years for additional compensation, if their impairment increases due to
