What is an impairment rating in my workers’ compensation case?

by | Dec 14, 2015 | Workers Compensation

When someone is injured at work in South Carolina they must go through the workers’ compensation system.

There are three main parts to a South Carolina worker’s compensation case. First, your employer should provide medical care for your work-related injury. Second, you should get paid for your time that you are written out of work by the authorized treating physician. Finally, once you have reached maximum medical improvement, your employer should pay you for any permanent disability that resulted from the work-related injury.

Once you have reached maximum medical improvement, as determined by the authorized treating physician, you will be assigned an impairment rating. This rating, along with your permanent work restrictions and level of recovery from your injuries is used to determine the value of your disability.

So how is my impairment rating determined?

The main way your impairment rating is determined by your authorized treating physician is by referring to the American Medical Associations Guides to Permanent Impairment. This is a book published by the American Medical Association that has guidance for your physician on what percentage to assign your impairment due to your injury and how well you recovered.

Each case is unique. If you have questions about your impairment rating, work accident or any other questions about your legal rights, please contact Venus Poe today at 864-963-0310 or click here to fill out an online case evaluation form. We have offices in Greenville, South Carolina and Fountain Inn, South Carolina to better serve you. There is no obligation or charge for our initial consultation to see if we can help you with your workers’ compensation claim.

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