DEFINITIONS:
Impairment- A significant deviation, loss or loss of use of any body structure or function in an individual with a health condition, disorder or disease. An anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormality that can be shown by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques with clinical correlation.
A medically determinable physical or mental impairment is an impairment that results from anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormalities that can be shown by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques. The medical evidence must establish that an individual has a physical or mental impairment; a statement about the individual's symptoms is not enough.
Permanent- Remains unchanged indefinitely for a continuous period of time. Lasting until death.
Disability- is an alteration of an individual’s capacity to meet personal, social or occupational demands because of impairment. Disability is the inability to complete a specific task successfully that the individual was previously capable of completing or one that most members of a society are capable of completing owing to a medical or psychological deviation from prior health status.
Handicap- The disadvantage experienced by a person as a result of impairments.
Aggravation- Permanent worsening of a prior condition by a particular event or exposure.
Exacerbation- Temporary worsening of a prior condition by a exposure/injury.
Recurrence- Signs of symptoms attributable to a prior illness or injury occur in the absence of a new provocative event.
Apportionment - an allocation of causation among multiple factors that caused or significantly contributed to the injury or disease and resulting impairment.
Causal Relationship- An identifiable factor that results in a medically identifiable condition.
Causal opinions- must be given in terms of reasonable medical probability or certainty.
Probability - means that something is more likely than not (51% or greater). If the confidence is equal to or less than 50% it is merely a possibility.
Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)- MMI occurs when a condition has stabilized and further functional improvement is unlikely, despite continued medical treatment or physical rehabilitation.
Injury- means a sudden and tangible happening, of a traumatic nature, producing an immediate or prompt result, and occurring from without, and such physical conditions as result therefrom.
Occupational disease- means such disease or infection as arises naturally and proximately out of employment under the mandatory or elective adoption provisions of this title.
The American Medical Association: Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment is a book used by doctors and others to assign percentage ratings to those who have suffered injuries. The rating system described by the Guides has been under development since 1958. A series of articles first published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, between 1958 and August of 1970, became the basis of the first edition of the book form of the Guides. The first edition was published in 1971. The latest edition, the 6th edition, was published in 2007.
The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment was assembled in response to the need for a standardized, objective rating system which would describe the amount of damage caused by various injuries and illnesses. The rating systems described in the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment were developed by committees of experts. The ratings described by the Guides have been adopted by workers compensation and injury compensation systems in most states of the United States and a number of other countries.
As traditionally used, impairment refers to a problem with a structure or organ of the body; disability is a functional limitation with regard to a particular activity; and handicap refers to a disadvantage in filling a role in life relative to a peer group.
Impairment- A significant deviation, loss or loss of use of any body structure or function in an individual with a health condition, disorder or disease. An anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormality that can be shown by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques with clinical correlation.
A medically determinable physical or mental impairment is an impairment that results from anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormalities that can be shown by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques. The medical evidence must establish that an individual has a physical or mental impairment; a statement about the individual's symptoms is not enough.
Permanent- Remains unchanged indefinitely for a continuous period of time. Lasting until death.
Disability- is an alteration of an individual’s capacity to meet personal, social or occupational demands because of impairment. Disability is the inability to complete a specific task successfully that the individual was previously capable of completing or one that most members of a society are capable of completing owing to a medical or psychological deviation from prior health status.
Handicap- The disadvantage experienced by a person as a result of impairments.
Aggravation- Permanent worsening of a prior condition by a particular event or exposure.
Exacerbation- Temporary worsening of a prior condition by a exposure/injury.
Recurrence- Signs of symptoms attributable to a prior illness or injury occur in the absence of a new provocative event.
Apportionment - an allocation of causation among multiple factors that caused or significantly contributed to the injury or disease and resulting impairment.
Causal Relationship- An identifiable factor that results in a medically identifiable condition.
Causal opinions- must be given in terms of reasonable medical probability or certainty.
Probability - means that something is more likely than not (51% or greater). If the confidence is equal to or less than 50% it is merely a possibility.
Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)- MMI occurs when a condition has stabilized and further functional improvement is unlikely, despite continued medical treatment or physical rehabilitation.
Injury- means a sudden and tangible happening, of a traumatic nature, producing an immediate or prompt result, and occurring from without, and such physical conditions as result therefrom.
Occupational disease- means such disease or infection as arises naturally and proximately out of employment under the mandatory or elective adoption provisions of this title.
The American Medical Association: Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment is a book used by doctors and others to assign percentage ratings to those who have suffered injuries. The rating system described by the Guides has been under development since 1958. A series of articles first published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, between 1958 and August of 1970, became the basis of the first edition of the book form of the Guides. The first edition was published in 1971. The latest edition, the 6th edition, was published in 2007.
The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment was assembled in response to the need for a standardized, objective rating system which would describe the amount of damage caused by various injuries and illnesses. The rating systems described in the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment were developed by committees of experts. The ratings described by the Guides have been adopted by workers compensation and injury compensation systems in most states of the United States and a number of other countries.
As traditionally used, impairment refers to a problem with a structure or organ of the body; disability is a functional limitation with regard to a particular activity; and handicap refers to a disadvantage in filling a role in life relative to a peer group.