The Physical Guides

Physical injuries must be assessed in accordance with The American Medical Association Guides For The Evaluation Of Permanent Impairment. Although these Guides are now in their 6th edition, the WorkCover legislation requires the 4th edition to be used. The Guides have been modified by the legislation which removes the pain chapter. The Guides have been heavily criticised because they provide relatively low impairment assessments for musculoskeletal injuries particularly spinal injuries. It appears that the most common industrial injuries were deliberately lowered when the Guides were being developed in America. Nonetheless, significant impairment scores can be obtained under these Guides from combining all the effects of injury. The Guides are highly complex and can provide markedly fluctuating impairment assessments when the same claimant is assessed by medical practitioners. These fluctuations, in large measure, are due to the discretion that is provided to medical examiners in respect of choosing the appropriate methodology for some assessments, particularly involving limb function.

At Workforce Legal we are highly experienced in the interpretation and application of these Guides. We have conducted groundbreaking litigation over the proper interpretation and application of the Guides.