1996 Florida Uniform Permanent Impairment
Rating Schedule
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BACKGROUND
PHILOSOPHY AND CONCEPTS
EVALUATION PROCESS
THE BASIC RULES
EVALUATION OF THE SPINE
FRACTURES
INTERVERTEBRAL DISC OR OTHER SOFT TISSUE LESIONS
SPONDYLOLYSIS AND SPONDYLOLISTHESIS, UNOPERATED
SPINAL STENOSIS AND SEGMENTAL INSTABILITY
SPINAL STENOSIS, SEGMENTAL INSTABILITY, OR SPONDYLOLISTHESIS, OPERATED
ANKYLOSIS
PELVIS
SPECIFIC DISORDERS
PREFERRED OR NONPREFERRED EXTREMITY
ADDITIONAL RATABLE DISORDERS OF THE EXTREMITIES
THUMB
FINGERS
WRIST JOINT
ELBOW JOINT
SHOULDER JOINT
DISORDERS OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY
BONE AND JOINT DEFORMITIES
UPPER EXTREMITY—CONVERSION TABLES
AMPUTATION—FINGER, THUMB, HAND, UPPER EXTREMITY
GREAT TOE
2ND THROUGH 5TH TOES
METATARSOPHALANGEAL JOINT OF 4TH AND 5TH TOES
ANKLE (HIND FOOT)
OTHER DISORDERS OF THE ANKLE AND FOOT
KNEE JOINT
HIP JOINT
LOWER EXTREMITY CONVERSION TABLES
AMPUTATION—TOE, FOOT, LOWER EXTREMITY
INTRODUCTION
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD)
SKULL DEFECTS
SKULL FRACTURES
HEADACHES
CRANIAL NERVES
SPINAL NERVE IMPAIRMENT AFFECTING HEAD AND NECK
THORACIC NERVES
SPINAL NERVES AFFECTING INGUINAL REGION AND PERINEUM
UNILATERAL SPINAL NERVE ROOT AFFECTING THE UPPER EXTREMITY
UNILATERAL BRACHIAL PLEXUS DISORDERS
SPECIFIC UNILATERAL SPINAL NERVE AFFECTING THE UPPER EXTREMITY
UPPER EXTREMITY DUE TO ENTRAPMENT NEUROPATHY
UNILATERAL SPINAL NERVE ROOT AFFECTING THE LOWER EXTREMITY
UNILATERAL LUMBOSACRAL PLEXUS
SPECIFIC UNILATERAL SPINAL NERVE AFFECTING THE LOWER EXTREMITY
DETERMINATION OF PAIN OR LOSS OF SENSATION
DETERMINATION OF STRENGTH (POWER) AND/OR MOTOR DEFICIT
INTRODUCTION
DIAGNOSIS AND IMPAIRMENT
EVIDENCE OF MENTAL IMPAIRMENT
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
ASSESSING IMPAIRMENT SEVERITY
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT RELATED TO THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING IMPAIRMENT NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO LUNG FUNCTION
SYMPTOMATIC LIMITATION
EXERCISE TESTING
VALVULAR HEART DISEASE
CORONARY HEART DISEASE
CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE
HYPERTENSIVE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
CARDIOMYOPATHIES
PERICARDIAL HEART DISEASE
ARRHYTHMIAS
VASCULAR DISORDERS OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY
VASCULAR DISORDERS OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY
ANEMIA
WHITE BLOOD CELL DISEASES OR ABNORMALITIES
PLATELET AND/OR BLEEDING DISORDERS
INTRODUCTION
LOSS OF VISION
PRIMARY COORDINATE FACTORS
MEASURE AND COMPUTATION OF LOSS
IMPAIRMENT OF THE EYE
WHOLE BODY IMPAIRMENT DUE TO VISION LOSS
INTRODUCTION
HEARING LOSS
EQUILIBRIUM
DISORDERS OF THE FACE
RESPIRATION
MASTICATION AND DEGLUTITION
OLFACTION AND TASTE
DYSARTHRIA
TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DISORDERS
INTRODUCTION
UPPER DIGESTIVE TRACT (ESOPHAGUS, STOMACH, DUODENUM, SMALL INTESTINE AND PANCREAS)
COLON AND RECTUM
ENTEROCUTANEOUS FISTULAS OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT, BILIARY TRACT, OR PANCREAS
ANUS
HEPATOBILIARY SYSTEM
UPPER URINARY TRACT
URINARY DIVERSION
URINARY BLADDER
URETHRA
MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
INTRODUCTION
HYPOTHALAMIC PITUITARY AXIS
THYROID STRUCTURE OR FUNCTION
PARATHYROID STRUCTURE OR FUNCTION
STRUCTURAL OR FUNCTIONAL DISORDERS OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX
STRUCTURAL OR FUNCTIONAL DISORDERS OF THE ADRENAL MEDULLA
STRUCTURAL OR FUNCTIONAL DISORDERS OF THE ENDOCRINE PANCREAS (ISLETS OF LANGERHANS)
HYPOGLYCEMIA
GONADS
MAMMARY GLANDS
METABOLIC BONE DISEASE
1996 FLORIDA UNIFORM PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT RATING SCHEDULE
This impairment rating guide was adopted by the three-member panel, in cooperation with the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation as mandated by Section 440.15(3)(a)2, Florida Statutes, as amended.
Three-Member Panel – 1992
Tom Gallagher, Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner
Marty Urra, Employee Representative
Mary Ann Stiles, Employer Representative
Three-Member Panel - 1994
Tom Gallagher, Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner
Marty Urra, Employee Representative
John Fareed, Employer Representative
Advisory Committee to the Three-Member Panel
Stanley S. Kaplan, D.C.
Dorothy Clay Sims, J.D.
Kevin M. McCarty, J.D.
Lawrence S. Cohen, M.D.
Al Frierson, J.D.
Jim McConnaughhay, J.D.
Advisory Committee to the Division of Workers’ Compensation
James K. Conn, M.D.
Oregon K. Hunter, M.D.
Pat M. J. Hutton, M.d.
Stankey S. Kaplan, D.C.
Paul Lincolnol, J.D.
J. Earle Makant, D.O., M.D.
Dorothy Clay Sims, J.D.
Janet Osgood, R.N.
Lee Weaver
Lawrence S. Cohen, M.D.
The 1996 Florida Uniform Permanent Impairment Rating Schedule is a public document adopted for use by the State of Florida