Rating Schedule

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION TO THE 1996 FLORIDA UNIFORM PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT RATING SCHEDULE

• BACKGROUND

• PHILOSOPHY AND CONCEPTS

• EVALUATION PROCESS

• THE BASIC RULES

SECTION 1: MUSCULOSKELETAL — THE SPINE

• 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

SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION TO MUSCULOSKELETAL — THE EXTREMITIES

• SPECIFIC DISORDERS

• PREFERRED OR NONPREFERRED EXTREMITY

• ADDITIONAL RATABLE DISORDERS OF THE EXTREMITIES

SECTION 3: MUSCULOSKELETAL — UPPER 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

SECTION 4: MUSCULOSKELETAL — LOWER EXTREMITIES

• 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

SECTION 5: NERVOUS SYSTEM

• 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

SECTION 6: MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS

• INTRODUCTION

• DIAGNOSIS AND IMPAIRMENT

• EVIDENCE OF MENTAL IMPAIRMENT

• SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

• ASSESSING IMPAIRMENT SEVERITY

SECTION 7: RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

• CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT RELATED TO THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

• CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING IMPAIRMENT NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO LUNG FUNCTION

SECTION 8: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

• 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

SECTION 9: THE HEMATOPOIETIC SYSTEM

• ANEMIA

• WHITE BLOOD CELL DISEASES OR ABNORMALITIES

• PLATELET AND/OR BLEEDING DISORDERS

SECTION 10: VISUAL SYSTEM

• INTRODUCTION

• LOSS OF VISION

• PRIMARY COORDINATE FACTORS

• MEASURE AND COMPUTATION OF LOSS

• IMPAIRMENT OF THE EYE

• WHOLE BODY IMPAIRMENT DUE TO VISION LOSS

SECTION 11 : EAR, NOSE, THROAT, AND RELATED STRUCTURES

• INTRODUCTION

• HEARING LOSS

• EQUILIBRIUM

• DISORDERS OF THE FACE

• RESPIRATION

• MASTICATION AND DEGLUTITION

• OLFACTION AND TASTE

• DYSARTHRIA

• TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DISORDERS

SECTION 12: DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

• 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

SECTION 13: ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

• 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

SECTION 14: SKIN DISORDERS

SECTION 15: COMBINED VALUES CHART

SECTION 16: DEFINITIONS

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