After a workplace injury, you want to heal as quickly as possible and return to your normal life, and your employers want this, too. When your injuries do not heal and you suffer a permanent or total disability, matters can become more complicated.
When you are filing for workers’ compensation benefits, your doctor’s impairment rating can play a critical role in determining the value of your claim. A Tulare County assessment of impairment rating measures the severity of a worker’s injury by evaluating the extent of the injury and the employee’s physical limitations. It is common for an insurance company and an injured worker to disagree about the level of impairment. A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you dispute this and ensure you get the benefits you are entitled to receive.
When an injured employee suffers long-term complications from their injury, they may be released by their doctor at maximum medical improvement, meaning that the injury or condition has healed as much as expected in the next 12 months. The doctor will then assign an impairment rating to measure the degree to which it will impact the Tulare County employee based on the AMA Guides for rating disability 5th edition. The goal of this assessment is to help the injured worker, their employer, and the insurance company understand the coverage they need. Based on the injury, illness, or condition, the doctor may determine whether the person is partially or totally disabled. There are different degrees of impairment, including:
Injured workers who suffer permanent and total impairment are entitled to permanent disability benefits for an amount of time determined by their level of disablity. Those who suffer permanent disabilities must also seek an impairment rating to help their employer determine the full scope of benefits they deserve.
When you suffer an injury on the job, you deserve to collect the workers’ compensation benefits. However, these claims are not always easy to resolve. With the help of a competent lawyer, you can obtain the benefits you need to return to the workforce. If you were subject to an adverse Tulare County assessment of impairment rating, we can help you challenge it and advise you of your options. Our dedicated attorneys have the knowledge and experience to achieve a successful outcome on your claim. Contact our office to learn more about your rights after a workplace injury.
