If you have not received worker’s compensation benefits from your employer, you will have to get an impairment rating on your own. When doing so, you should make sure you get one from a specialized doctor instead of from your family physician or chiropractor. Generally speaking, specialists are more familiar with The American Medical Association Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairments, which is the recommended impairment guideline.
In addition to addressing impairment, the doctor’s report must answer each of these questions:
- What is the worker’s medical history for this injury?
- What is the medical diagnosis?
- What is the cause of this injury?
- Does the worker suffer any disability and/or impairment as a result of the injury, and if so, what is the extent of the disability and/or impairment?
The doctor must also include his or her original signature on the report.