April 16, 2014
Continuing from Workers’ Compensation Glossary of Terms (Pt. 1), here are some more key phrases that you may hear when you file a workers’ compensation claim.
More Important Workers’ Compensation Terms Defined
- Impairment rating – This is a “rating” that a doctor gives an injured worker once he has been deemed to have reached is maximum medical improvement (see the definition for this below). When assigning these ratings, doctors have to follow specific guidelines as set forth by the American Medical Association (AMA).Since this rating is crucial to the ongoing benefits injured workers will receive, it’s important that doctors assign the proper impairment rating. However, doctors sometimes make mistakes with these ratings, so make sure you have an attorney on your side to help advocate your rights when mistakes with these ratings have been made.
- Maximum medical improvement (MMI) – This is a declaration that an injured worker has recovered as much as possible from his injury based on all available and administered medical treatments.In other words, additional medical treatment cannot further improve the injured worker’s condition when he has reached his MMI. Just because a person has reached his MMI, however, does not necessarily mean that the condition or injury will not get worse over time or that the injured person won’t need additional medical care (such as care to treat ongoing pain).
- Scheduled injuries – Injuries to the digits or extremities (e.g., the fingers, toes, hands, feet, arms, legs, etc.) that are listed on a table and assigned specific benefit amounts. The table (i.e., schedule) is discussed in detail in C.R.S. 8-42-107 (2), and the severity of the injury (as determined by an injured person’s doctor) will be a factor in the calculation used to determine the precise amount of benefits the injured worker will receive.
- Nonscheduled injuries – These are impairments that are not specifically listed in the above-mentioned schedule and that typically affect the lungs, brain, spine or other critical bodily systems. In addition to considering the severity of the injury a person has sustained when calculating benefits for nonscheduled injuries, a person’s age will also be a factor in determining benefits for these impairments.
Stay posted for the third installment of this blog for a continued discussion of some more important workers’ compensation terms.
The Denver Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at the Bisset Law Firm Are Here to Help You
Have you been injured at work? If so, the skilled Denver workers’ compensation attorneys at the Bisset Law Firm want you to know that we are here to aggressively advocate your rights and help you obtain the benefits you need and deserve. Our experienced legal professionals are dedicated to providing each of our clients with the highest quality legal representation, keeping each of our clients informed and in the loop at every stage of their cases and, ultimately, helping them obtain the best possible results for their cases.
In addition to being diligent and dedicated, our attorneys are upfront and honest. They will keep you informed of the strengths and weaknesses of your case, the choices and possibilities that you have as you move through the process, and whether it makes sense to settle your case or go to trial.
Let’s Talk about Your Case
Contact the Denver workers’ compensation lawyers at the Bisset Law Firm by calling (303) 894-8900 to learn more about your rights and receive a professional evaluation of your case.
