What is the importance of Restrictions?
Restrictions are determined by your doctor after you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement and your physical limitations have been measured by a FCE. The doctor specifies what you are physically capable of doing. For instance, the doctor may specify that you can not lift more than twenty pounds. He has therefore, “restricted” you to work that would not require you to lift more than twenty pounds. Restrictions become very important. Their purpose is to prevent you from incurring further injury. Once they are known, only the jobs that you can do within the restrictions may be considered suitable employment. Often, suitable employment within the restrictions is difficult or impossible to find. The nature and number of restrictions given by the doctor should be considered in settlement negotiations.
